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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24244978">Always Two Choices</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalorii/pseuds/Kalorii'>Kalorii</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Kalorii's FF7 A/B/O AU [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII (Video Game 1997), Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol, Alpha Rude, Alpha Zack Fair, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bonding, Collars, Come Inflation, Emotional bonding, Headcanon, Intersex, Intersex Cloud Strife, Intersex Reno, Kidnapping, Knotting, M/M, Magical Bond, Magical Tattoos, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mentioned Childbirth, Multiple Orgasms, Not Beta Read, Omega Cloud Strife, Pheromones, Post Mpreg, References to Knotting, Rough Sex, Slave Trade, Slavery, Soul Bond, Swearing, Tattoos, Vaginal, Vaginal Sex, omega reno</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 20:40:39</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>35,747</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24244978</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kalorii/pseuds/Kalorii</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>There's always two choices, neither preferable, but one is more easy to take than the other. Reno has always struggled with this fact. Now, confronted with his Omega desires, he needs to choose where he wants his life to land in a post-Shinra world. Can a Turk find happiness when danger always nips at their heels?</p><p>Direct continuation of Seeking the Normal.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rude/Reno, Zack Fair/Cloud Strife</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Kalorii's FF7 A/B/O AU [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1746631</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>134</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Denial Override</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So, here it is. The fic that came out of nowhere and dogged me until I wrote it. Even though it stalled a few times as I tried to figure out how far I wanted to go, I'm okay with how it turned out. Writing for characters I've never written for, it's fun to delve into the world of the Turks for a while with the unique challenges they face with their profession. Reno in particular was fun to figure out.</p><p>I hope this is as enjoyable to read as it was to write.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                “The hell is your problem?” Reno snapped, glaring at Tseng. “You really think that – “</p>
<p>                “No, I <em>know</em>.” Tseng replied. “You have always been the most diligent second in command I’ve had. Now Elena is picking up your slack because you managed to trigger your Omega instincts.”</p>
<p>                Growling softly, Reno knew he couldn’t argue the point with his boss. It was true, every last word of it that Rude and Tseng had said. He’d gone from being so sure of himself and what he wanted to now feeling like he was going to go nuts if he didn’t breed. Fuck being an Omega.</p>
<p>                Tseng sighed gently, looking over to Reno. “I cannot blame you for your instincts, but I do wish you would at least admit to them.”</p>
<p>                “You always deny yourself,” Rude chimed in.</p>
<p>                “Like you don’t?” Reno quipped. He sneered, folding his arms behind his head as they walked. “When was the last time you buried your bone, huh? Never seen you sniffing after anyone.”</p>
<p>                A muscle twitched in Rude’s jaw letting Reno know he’d touched a nerve. For the moment, he was going to be satisfied with that. It was enough after all of the jabs Rude and Tseng had been taking at him lately.</p>
<p>                He looked forward again, dropping his hands to his sides and shoving them into his pockets. “Okay, I’ll admit it that I’m goddamn Omega. We fucking knew that already and I’ll get my instincts under control.”</p>
<p>                Maybe they were right that he needed to stay away from the wolf clan for a while. With luck, it would reset his instincts to zero and he could go back to feeling like himself again. It wasn’t the first time he’d been in close proximity to a baby, though he supposed it was the first time he’d been that close to a birthing.</p>
<p>                Rude could only chuckle, likely seeing the shiver that went up Reno’s spine. “Good luck with that.”</p>
<p>                “For now, I’ll offer you some time off. I suggest you take it to try and get your priorities straight,” Tseng said as they approached the security building. “Elena will continue to fill in for you, but I do expect you to have your mind straightened out by next week.”</p>
<p>                A week? He’d been feeling this way for <em>months</em> now – which was probably why he was being given such a short timeframe to figure it out. What he hated the most was how Rude looked like he knew that it would be impossible for him. Reno hadn’t been joking when he stated he didn’t pay much attention in class.</p>
<p>                Alphas and Omegas were always put into special classes for their type because they had a lot to understand about themselves. Reno had checked out almost immediately when they spoke about his reproductive system, not wanting to hear it at the time. Honestly, what did they expect? Some kids just couldn’t handle that kind of thing.</p>
<p>                What he <em>did</em> know was that, as a male Omega, they didn’t always become what they were intended. Crossed wires meant a lot of things that went on the fritz. The only reason he knew that was because he’d looked it up, wondering if he was weird for not spreading his legs for every Alpha he saw. He’d always assumed his wires were completely wrong.</p>
<p>                Just like Cloud had thought he was sterile because of mako.</p>
<p>                A hand on his shoulder made him look over as Rude nodded in the direction of Reno’s apartment. “Let’s talk.”</p>
<p>                Letting out a sigh of resignation, Reno shrugged and started going to his apartment building. Once they were in, he flopped into an armchair, waving a hand for Rude to take a seat. “What wisdom will you impart today, oh Alpha one?”</p>
<p>                Rude sat on the couch and folded his arms over his chest. “You know that you can’t just get this ‘under control’, right?”</p>
<p>                “Of course I can. My goddamn body, my rules. I just need a break.” When Rude reached up to pull off his sunglasses and pinch the bridge of his nose, Reno looked at him. “What?”</p>
<p>                “I thought you weren’t being serious when you said you didn’t pay attention in class. I should have known better.”</p>
<p>                Irritated now, the Omega moved to sit up, fixing his partner with a glare. “Then enlighten me about what I missed and why my body won’t listen to me.”</p>
<p>                Slipping his glasses back on, Rude smiled lightly. “Alphas and Omegas are about as ancient as the Ancients themselves. It was an evolutionary advantage to ensure our species survived. Alphas would create clans and helped the population to grow.”</p>
<p>                “Yeah, tell me something I don’t know. I paid attention to that shit, just not the shit about my junk. I was twelve, give me a break,” Reno grumbled.</p>
<p>                There was a noise of realization as Rude figured out what to focus on. “Some of that instinct still survives, including the innate desire to mate and procreate.”</p>
<p>                Not getting it, the Omega gave Rude a disparaging look. “Uh, duh? That’s why I stop those fucking heat cycles from taking over.” But that wasn’t helping him <em>now</em> and it’d become a chore to take the pills that stopped the cycle.</p>
<p>                “Your pills aren’t helping to curb that because being next to Cloud awoke that instinct. A mechanism built in to make you want to help your potential clan propagate its genes. Something to entice the stubborn Omega to finally do what they were intended to do.”</p>
<p>                Oh. Oh <em>shit</em>.</p>
<p>                Reno sat up in his chair, suddenly less irritated and more panicked. “There has to be a way to turn it off. I don’t even have a goddamn clan let alone an Alpha.”</p>
<p>                “Denying it only makes it worse. At some point, you’ll convince yourself to let your body go through a heat cycle and submit to an Alpha,” Rude said, giving the Omega an apologetic shrug.</p>
<p>                Fuck, fuck, <em>fuck</em>. This was definitely not what he needed.</p>
<p>                “Then I’ll get my fucking tubes tied. That’d stop it, wouldn’t it?”</p>
<p>                The usual calm of Rude was broken at that and he pressed his lips together, reluctantly nodding. “Sure, if you want to be that extreme, I suppose that would work. Doubt you’d find a doctor who would do it to someone so young.”</p>
<p>                “Hey, I’m not some damn baby vending machine,” Reno spat. “I won’t bend over for just anyone, you out of everyone knows that much.”</p>
<p>                Aside from Rude and Zack, Reno didn’t even know other Alphas. He highly doubted that Zack would be too eager to take another into his clan and Rude… Well, Rude was his partner, right? He’d never said anything to him or made a motion that suggested he wanted to claim him. As far as he knew, Rude didn’t care about taking an Omega at all.</p>
<p>                Yet, Rude was oddly silent as Reno went through his thoughts. If Reno didn’t know any better, he’d say that the Alpha was disappointed.</p>
<p>                “Y’know, if you’ve got something to say, just say it,” Reno muttered.</p>
<p>                Instead of saying anything, the other Turk merely shrugged. “Your body, your rules. It’s not up to me and I can’t change your mind.”</p>
<p>                Oh, now he <em>knew</em> something was up. Was he giving something off in addition to wanting to take the knot? Now he almost felt bad if he was affecting his partner with whatever the hell Omegas gave off to draw them close. Maybe he could find something that would counteract it, even if it was for a little while. However long it took for him to find a doctor willing to do the snip.</p>
<p>                Reno grumbled, moving to kick off his shoes. “Partner, you know you don’t want me.”</p>
<p>                There was nothing like catching Rude off guard. It would be more satisfying with the sunglasses off, but Reno tended to take what he could get with the other Turk. He tried not to read too much into why he liked it lest he find something inside of him that would just make his instincts kick to eleven. Of course, just being near an Alpha probably didn’t help.</p>
<p>                Recovering slightly, Rude let out a light chuckle. “My body, my rules.”</p>
<p>                And there it was. Reno didn’t even have to take off his shoes for the other to drop, it seemed. What was worse was how his whole body simply rose to the occasion. Like that wouldn’t make things worse for either of them.</p>
<p>                “Why?” It was such a simple question. Not a single Alpha had dared to approach him and now here was a long-time partner telling him he wanted him.</p>
<p>                “We’ve known each other for a long time. I’ve gotten to know and like who you are. Is it really that strange?”</p>
<p>                Strange, weird, absolutely fucking enticing. All of those things Reno decided to keep to himself. Hell, he bet that Rude could tell just by the deep breath he’d took. The fucker was being serious and it was driving the Omega out of his mind.</p>
<p>                “This isn’t fair,” Reno muttered. “Everything’s all fucked up. <em>We’re</em> all fucked up. All because I had to go near someone birthing a brat, now you’re seriously considering this.”</p>
<p>                “Give me some credit. I’ve wanted to claim you long before your instincts finally kicked in,” Rude grumbled. “It’s always been an impossible discussion to have with you. Your wishes to remain without an Alpha is more important than my own desires.”</p>
<p>                Ah, so. Like so many other male Omegas, Reno’s very nature kept the Alphas away from him. Who would have claimed him by now? Probably still Rude, he was sure. At least Rude knew who he was, what he was capable of, and usually even knew how he felt before even Reno did. Damn this Alpha and Omega shit which always ended up running his life in some capacity.</p>
<p>                Shifting in his seat, Reno draped his legs over the arm of his armchair, simply studying his partner. “Now you’re going in for the kill because why the fuck not, right? I’m going to want it bad enough eventually, as long as I don’t get a doctor to rip it out of me.”</p>
<p>                There it was again. At least now it made sense why Rude would be disappointed to see Reno’s breeding capability removed. He wanted to be the one to give him the baby that his body craved. Hearing an Omega deny it outright likely sat poorly with any Alpha, but doubly so for an Alpha who craved said Omega.</p>
<p>                “Whatever you choose, it’s your decision.”</p>
<p>                All of it was a reminder that Reno consistently denied what he was to the detriment of his health at times. He’d gone years thinking he had no time to have a family, and he sure as hell didn’t seem like the kind, fatherly type. Reno’s time with Fenrir had proven the latter wrong to the point that he would drop work to see him. Granted, he now knew why, but all he was doing was denying himself yet again.</p>
<p>                Letting out a long, gusty sigh, Reno put a hand on his head. “You want me that bad, huh?”</p>
<p>                Rude let out a sound that made it clear that he did. It also did <em>things</em> to Reno in general, like making him wonder what kind of Alpha Rude could be. Likely rough, unyielding, demanding, and more than willing to fuck any Omega into whatever surface they were on.</p>
<p>                It’d always been hard to think of Rude as anyone but his partner. His Omega nature did remind him constantly that the other was supposed to be above him, but the actual hierarchy didn’t reflect that. How much would their dynamic change if they just…fucked right here and now?</p>
<p>                A lot. The answer to that question was a massive <em>a lot</em>.</p>
<p>                He was tired of thinking in circles and of others being right about him. He was even more tired of not being in control of his own desires, of being a slave to his born nature.</p>
<p>                With a soft growl, Reno pulled himself up and then moved to stand in front of Rude. He pushed the Alpha back and leaned in before he went to sit in the other Turk’s lap. He wanted to know what it felt like, he craved to know what he was missing, but he needed a reason. What Reno needed most of all was the reassurance that being with an Alpha didn’t mean wearing a collar and leash.</p>
<p>                “You know what? You win. Fucking convince me that I need you and you want me.” Before Rude could say anything, Reno took a chance and leaned in close. “We have known each other for a long time, so you know what I’m like.”</p>
<p>                Right now, he had no idea what Rude was like, however. He’d taken the risk of taunting an Alpha in all the wrong ways. Reno was fairly certain he knew what was between his legs and <em>fuck</em> did his body want it.</p>
<p>                Rude took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Reno, don’t play with this fire. You’re not the only one who needs to be convinced. I’m not going to be toyed with, and if you want to be my Omega, I’m playing for keeps.”</p>
<p>                Dominating? Check. Sexy as fuck? Also check. It should have been illegal for someone to cause an intimate reaction without even being able to see their eyes.</p>
<p>                There was no warning as Rude very easily lifted Reno off of him, practically dumping the Omega on the couch beside him. He stood, adjusting his necktie as he did, looking sideways at Reno. “Take that time off and get yourself figured out. If you really want me, you know where to find me.”</p>
<p>                It was the most Alpha action that Reno had seen Rude take as he simply left the apartment. That Omega side of Reno was absolutely aching for whatever Rude could give to him, but it was his mind that stopped him cold.</p>
<p>                He stretched out on the couch, trying to process everything that had happened. Eventually, all he came up with was that he was impossibly horny which made it too hard to think.</p>
<p>                “Fuck being an Omega,” he muttered.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. A Heart-to-Heart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Reno seeks out the only other person who might understand him. Writing Cloud and Reno together is really fun, especially considering they have a sort of personal rivalry in the Remake. Turning enemies into friends is a good thing.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your support! I appreciate it so much, enjoy the chapter! 💕</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                This was stupid. It was embarrassing and Reno felt like he was definitely reaching the end of his rope. The normally confident, cocksure Turk was now standing at the door to ask for help. For a heart-to-heart with the one who’d caused this to begin with.</p>
<p>                Reno grit his teeth, reaching up to knock at the door. Cloud opened it, holding his son over his shoulder. “Just let me in,” he muttered, looking at the confused expression on the other Omega’s face.</p>
<p>                Shrugging, Cloud went back inside, obviously expecting Reno to follow. He did, closing the door behind him as he did. He still felt awkward as he followed Cloud to the living room. It was obvious that he’d recently fed Fenrir and was burping him. Fuck, how much he hated how his Omega instincts wanted something simple like that.</p>
<p>                “You’ve looked better,” Cloud said, finally setting Fenrir in his bassinet. He smiled softly as the baby cooed. “What the hell happened to you after you left?”</p>
<p>                Reno sat heavily on the couch. “Oh, you know, Tseng told me to take time off and an Alpha basically admitted he wants to fuck me. The usual.”</p>
<p>                To no one’s surprise, Cloud’s mako-blue eyes blinked as he took in what he was told, shaking his head. “Wow. I’d ask if you took the Alpha up on the offer, but you don’t look like an Omega who got laid. So, how <em>did</em> you react to the admission?”</p>
<p>                “How do you think? He said it after he told me that being near you woke up my Omega instincts.” He glared at Cloud, definitely blaming him for his current predicament. “Thanks for that, by the way.”</p>
<p>                It took a moment before the other Omega understood, shock turning to disbelief. “I thought you were joking when you said you didn’t pay attention in class,” he muttered. “It’s not all my fault, something in you wanted this.”</p>
<p>                Rude hadn’t told him <em>that</em> little tidbit. Then, even if he had, it would have only made the situation worse at the time. Once again, it came back to his denial. It ran deep for reasons he’d considered to be important enough to ignore what he wanted.</p>
<p>                Something about Cloud had definitely softened since the birth of his son. While he could still be a bit guarded at times, his face lacked the dark look he used to carry. If that had happened to Cloud, what the hell would happen to him if he decided to go through with it?</p>
<p>                “I don’t,” Reno muttered. “Not really. I mean, I do, but I don’t want all those changes and everything else that comes with it. It feels too much like being thrown in a cage and having the door sealed shut with a damn welder.”</p>
<p>                Arching a brow, Cloud made a soft noise. “Is that what you think happened to me?”</p>
<p>                Reno shook his head. “Your situation is different. You always wanted to have a kid and be taken by an Alpha. What you’ve got is a pretty, shiny utopia.”</p>
<p>                Cloud smirked at him, shifting in his chair so he could move the bassinet Fenrir was in slightly to one side. It was a practised move, one that was obviously intended so that he could still keep tabs on his son while giving Reno his attention. “Reno, what Zack and I have isn’t a ‘utopia’ at all. Just because you don’t see us arguing doesn’t mean we aren’t.” He reached up to touch the bonding tattoo at his neck. “But he and I are equals. We work through things together. I’m not caged, I’m here because I want to be here.”</p>
<p>                Maybe it wasn’t paradise, but it sometimes seemed so close to it. It was enticing yet frightening at the same time. All Reno cared about was his freedom, but was he just being overdramatic about it?</p>
<p>                “There’s still something that’s shitty about the whole deal,” Reno sighed.</p>
<p>                “Like what? You’ve actually been great with Fenrir.”</p>
<p>                Running a hand through his hair, Reno shook his head. “You still lost something. You don’t even have your own fucking emotions to yourself anymore. No time, everything revolves around taking care of the kid and your Alpha.”</p>
<p>                As if suddenly understanding something, Cloud let out a soft breath. “Yes, it’s a bit of give and take. Zack doesn’t have his emotions to himself, either. Each time someone pisses him off at work, I can tell and I’m not even there.” He smiled lightly. “Look, you’re obviously afraid of being tied down which is understandable. If you find the right Alpha, you won’t have to worry about that.”</p>
<p>                So, now the question was if Rude was the “right” Alpha or not. Part of him wanted to say he was since they tended to know each other inside and out – well, until recently. Now he wasn’t sure if the Rude he knew would be the same Rude that claimed him. He’d shown his Alpha side the night prior which had rubbed Reno’s Omega side the right way, but what about the rest of him?</p>
<p>                “Reno, I did always want what I have, but I didn’t always know if I could have it. When Zack finally admitted he wanted me, we still weren’t always on the same page until he proved he was committed to me. Thinking I couldn’t have children meant I’d have to accept another Omega into the clan, and that would mean sharing. This might come as a surprise, but I don’t like to share.”</p>
<p>                Wow, was that a <em>threat</em>? Not that Reno was looking to Zack to fulfill his deepest desires anyway, but that effectively sealed off that pathway. Besides, Cloud was the first of the clan and, though Reno played second fiddle to Tseng, he sure as fuck wasn’t going to do the same with another Omega.</p>
<p>                “Yeah, well, I don’t either so we’re the same,” Reno said with a shrug.</p>
<p>                Cloud hummed, giving Reno that softened look that he’d noticed lately. “As an Omega to another Omega, you owe it to yourself to decide what you want to do and what you can live with. You have a chance with someone who knows you like you know him.” Pausing as he noticed the smirk Reno was wearing, Cloud shook his head. “What?”</p>
<p>                “You haven’t noticed, have you?” When he still got a blank look, Reno laughed lightly. “You’ve lost a lot, like your resting bitch face and that hard edge you had.”</p>
<p>                The other Omega arched a brow. “Would you call those changes bad?”</p>
<p>                “They were a part of you, something that made you who you are. Isn’t that kind of a shit trade off for all this?”</p>
<p>                Cloud tilted his head as if he’d never thought of it in that way. “You should know that all of those were meant to keep people away from me. If I made myself unapproachable, at least I couldn’t be hurt. They were barriers and I used them to keep everyone at arm’s length, including Zack when we first started courting.”</p>
<p>                It was Reno’s turn to look confused. “Why the hell would you even do that? You two are crazy for each other.”</p>
<p>                “Like I said, I wasn’t on the same page as he was for the first couple of weeks. Barely even a hug, definitely not in public unless he initiated it. I didn’t want to get hurt later.” He shrugged a shoulder. “I can’t keep those barriers up anymore. What good would I be if I was distant with my own Alpha or my son?”</p>
<p>                “Can’t feel bad for losing protective measures, right?” Reno murmured.</p>
<p>                Nodding, Cloud smiled sadly. “I know there’s only a couple of ways this can go for you, Reno. Pick the path that has the least regret and go with it.” He frowned suddenly, touching his bonding tattoo before he sighed. “You already know what I’d do, but it’ll cost a piece of you. Just ask yourself if it’s a piece that’s overdue for being removed.”</p>
<p>                “When the hell did you become fucking ‘Cloud the Wise’?” Reno smiled lightly, his eyes going to the bassinet. “It’s still not fair. The only thing driving me is instinct, not some kinda thought I’ve had on my own.”</p>
<p>                Laughing softly, Cloud tilted his head. “That’s not true and you know it. Male Omegas lie to themselves all the time because it’s harder for us to find an Alpha who will take us. We’re the weird ones, so we all develop a sort of complex about it. Then, when we’re given the chance, we often bite the hand that’s offered because of every ‘what if’ about it. We’re not just slaves to our instincts, we fight them tooth and nail until we can’t anymore. It just doesn’t always work out for everyone.”</p>
<p>                There he went again, spouting truths. He supposed that Cloud had spent a lot of time accepting uncomfortable truths about himself since things had calmed down. He idly wondered if the Cloud he saw now was the one he was before the experiments. If one stripped away the years with Shinra and the Turks, what would Reno be underneath the barriers he’d put up?</p>
<p>                “Why is this shit always so heavy?” he griped. “I really preferred it when I thought I was in control.”</p>
<p>                “You still are because you can make a choice,” Cloud said. “No one’s forcing you to choose one over the other. It’s always up to you and no one can dictate otherwise.”</p>
<p>                This was the reason he’d come here. Cloud didn’t care if he gave him some tough love answers, even if they were sort of wrapped up in honey. No one could make the choice for him, he had to do it himself. It was choosing between selfishness and selflessness, which was much easier when one hadn’t lived a life of questionable morality.</p>
<p>                “Pretty sure I know what I want to do, just don’t know how to go about it.” Reno flexed a hand idly then dropped it on his lap. “How did you start to break down those barriers you mentioned?”</p>
<p>                “Honestly? I had to force myself to do it. Even though I knew what I really wanted, taking it was the hardest thing I ever did.” Cloud chuckled, obviously remembering it. “I know you’re sick of hearing it, but it was worth it. Everything changed for me with one kiss.”</p>
<p>                From the look on his face, Reno could guess where that kiss led to. The last image he needed in his mind was Zack and Cloud having the wildest sex imaginable. No, it was too late. Even though the two didn’t always participate in public displays of affection, it wasn’t hard to see how quickly they could flip from being training buddies to fuck buddies.</p>
<p>                Oh wow, his mind was going. Reno reached up to massage a temple, sighing softly. “Sorry for dumping this shit on your shoulders. Other than Tifa, you’re the only other Omega I know. Don’t think Tifa really gets our kind of drama.”</p>
<p>                “I promise you she tries, but she’s got her own courting going on. You’re surrounded by the ones who chose to follow instinct over rejecting it.” As Cloud looked at him, Reno noticed how much brighter the other Omega’s eyes were. “But coming here was a pretty big step for you to take. I know how hard it can be to admit your problems to anyone.”</p>
<p>                Reno didn’t even think of it that way. He’d come here out of desperation to riff off someone who might be able to sympathise with him. Of course, he knew that he’d get a lot of “go for it” attitude, but there was some advice he could really use.</p>
<p>                Getting to his feet and stretching, Reno nodded to Cloud. “If you tell any of this to anyone, I’ll make sure you sit on my stun baton.”</p>
<p>                Cloud grinned, definitely knowing it was an idle threat with no teeth. “I don’t gossip, you know that. I may have changed but this was all told in confidence. Not even Zack will hear of it.”</p>
<p>                The sudden shift made the Turk blink. “How the hell do you do that? You were all fucking dewy-eyed and now you’re the bitch again.”</p>
<p>                “Can’t erase who you are no matter what and some habits die really hard. I’m still me, Reno, just like you’ll still be you after whatever it is you choose.” Cloud stood up, holding out a hand which Reno took. “Just be true to yourself and it’ll work out.”</p>
<p>                Reno nodded, giving his farewell as he left the home. He paused as he left it, looking up at the two-storey house with its cute, deep red wooden fence. This was Cloud’s choice, what would his look like if he took the same path?</p>
<p>                It was about time he found out.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Glacial Progress</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                It still took a day before Reno gained up the courage to invite Rude over to his place. Just as Cloud had said, it was a hard thing to do and he still wasn’t a fan of admitting to what he was.</p>
<p>                Perhaps it was instinct, but it was something that had been there since he’d figured out how his body worked. Of course, he was still learning the finer points, but he had a feeling that some of it he could never experience just on his own.</p>
<p>                He was filled with nervous energy, unsure of how his partner would react to his declaration. Being honest with himself, Reno was sure he’d definitely lost his mind already. Admitting to what he really desired deep down was not going to be easy. Even after all of the wise wisdom Cloud had given him, the one thing Cloud <em>couldn’t</em> give to him was the mental strength to go through with it.</p>
<p>                The knock at his door made him jump and he mentally cursed himself. “Get a fucking grip,” he growled.</p>
<p>                Opening the door, he nodded to Rude who nodded back, coming in without so much as a word. While Rude found a seat, Reno dug out a couple of drinks from the refrigerator, handing one to his partner. Once again, they were sitting in the spots they were the day his life was flipped.</p>
<p>                “How’s things?” Reno asked. “Tseng won’t even call me to fill me in on shit. I know he told me to take time off, didn’t expect him to cut me off completely.”</p>
<p>                “He thinks you’re divided enough without it,” Rude replied. “There have been a few movements in New Wall Market, but nothing we didn’t expect. Kalm’s council were initially against it, but they were persuaded to keep their protests to themselves. Turns out offering taxes from profits is a good motivator to keep the seedy types around.”</p>
<p>                While he’d expected more about the Shinra uprising, not the perverts from Wall Market. He supposed that this was better news and would keep the kink crew from going nuts.</p>
<p>                Reno opened his drink, taking a big draw of it as he got more comfortable in his armchair. “No doubt. Tseng is going to have to ask for a raise.”</p>
<p>                The sound of a can being opened and a gruff grunt signalled he was likely wrong on that. “More like Zack will. Wall Market will be a security nightmare.”</p>
<p>                Oh, of course it would be. He supposed that it wasn’t the job for the Turks, just the security team in general. A thought made him laugh. “Could be New Wall Market will make us feel less dirty. No more bets on the diseases you’ll pick up there.”</p>
<p>                Not that he’d ever gone to Wall Market. That place had been a deathtrap for Omegas, where they would disappear on the regular never to be seen or heard from again. No doubt many of them ended up in some Alpha’s underground home to be used and abused. Unless you were an Omega with an attitude and strength to back it up, no Omegas went to Wall Market willingly.</p>
<p>                “Did you really just call me here to talk about work?” Rude asked.</p>
<p>                Always observant and straight to the point. Didn’t even let Reno get through one can of beer before he wanted the real reason he was called over. After what had happened before, Reno supposed he was lucky that his partner had shown at all. Now it was time to not royally fuck it up like he had everything else up to this point.</p>
<p>                “Love to say I did, but you know me better than that. Just been thinking on what we talked about.” He turned his eyes to Rude who seemed to be waiting for him to go on. “Maybe we could give it a shot.”</p>
<p>                If Rude was surprised, it didn’t seem to show. Instead, he took a long sip of his beer then inclined his head to Reno. “Why the change of heart?”</p>
<p>                Sure, of course he’d ask that. It put the Omega in the most uncomfortable position of having to be entirely honest. That was likely what Rude wanted, not because he was trying to be unreasonable, but because he needed to know that Reno was serious.</p>
<p>                He shrugged as he bought some time, all but emptying his can of beer before setting it down on the coffee table. “Because I’m fucking sick of wanting something I don’t know how to ask for. I don’t ask for shit, especially not for this.”</p>
<p>                Letting out a tiny laugh, Rude leaned forward, resting his elbows on his lap. “Is that all? It sounds like you’re merely resigning yourself to a fate you don’t want.”</p>
<p>                “I thought I was, too. It’s more like I’ve been fighting something I wanted.”</p>
<p>                Another laugh. “We told you that you were denying it.”</p>
<p>                “I’m being honest and you’re gonna pull the ‘I told you so’ bullshit on me?” Reno griped, fixing Rude with a glare. “Do you have any goddamn idea how hard it is to admit to this kinda shit? Of course you don’t because you can go and throw your dick around with anyone you want.”</p>
<p>                “But I don’t want just anyone,” Rude said bluntly. “I do know how hard it can be to admit. Not all Alphas have it easy. Sometimes they get attached to irritating, cocksure Omegas in denial of what they want.”</p>
<p>                It was Reno’s turn to laugh, grinning lopsidedly. “That sounds really annoying. Why the fuck would you put up with that and not go all Alpha on their ass?”</p>
<p>                Adjusting his glasses, the other Turk tilted his head to one side. “Taking something by force doesn’t mean you own it. You could change the very nature of what you’re trying to possess.” He paused, taking another draw from his beer. “Not exactly the ‘Alpha way’, but not every Omega is the same.”</p>
<p>                Go figure. The one thing that Reno had worried the most about was the one thing that Rude wanted to prevent. Not that it would stop him from changing down the road, but it’d be a natural kind of change, not one forced on him. The fact that he was still considering it meant he was making some progress towards being honest with himself.</p>
<p>                “You put up with too much of my shit, and still you want me out of every fucking Omega out there. The one who didn’t even want to stick around for Cloud to pop out that kid because he was getting sympathy pains just thinking about it.” Oh, well there was a good piece of honesty right there. “Why did you get so attached to me?”</p>
<p>                “You’re a challenge and I like a challenge. It didn’t matter if your instincts awoke in you or not. I wasn’t going to force myself on you, but I’ve always enjoyed your company. I like trying to understand you.”</p>
<p>                Holy <em>shit</em>, Rude had it bad for him. While he thought Rude outright walking away was Alpha, the most Alpha thing he’d done is lay in wait for his prey to finally come willingly to him. Yet, he would have gladly starved to death if it hadn’t. Talk about being the pickiest eater in the entire world, possibly the whole universe.</p>
<p>                Sitting up in his chair, Reno stayed there for a moment before getting up and moving to sit down beside Rude. No climbing into his lap this time, no challenges. It was hard enough to be this close without feeling like he needed to bolt. As usual, Rude was calm and collected while Reno felt like everything wanted to split in different directions.</p>
<p>                Rude shifted, finishing off his can of beer and setting it on the coffee table beside Reno’s. “We can take it as slow as you need to.”</p>
<p>                And still he was afraid of scaring off the skittish creature he’d chosen. “I think you’ve been going at my pace for longer than you should have.”</p>
<p>                “You’re not ready for the whole deal yet, not mentally.”</p>
<p>                Opening his mouth to reply as he felt irritation settle in, he stopped and let out a huff instead. From that reaction alone, it proved the Alpha right. If they went in firing on all cylinders, he’d probably have a hard time coming to grips with it all at once. Unlike Cloud who had obviously embraced who and what he was before Zack’s declaration, Reno was still coming to terms with it.</p>
<p>                Rude’s soft chuckle made the Omega look over. “That’s a good start, though. You need to do more than be honest to me, you have to be honest to yourself.”</p>
<p>                Just like Cloud had said. Being honest with himself was the hardest part of it all. The less honest he was, the more he kept Rude away, like how Cloud had done to Zack. It seemed that Zack was a little more proactive in trying to help his Omega get over those emotional hurdles than Rude was going to be. For all that Rude knew about him, the only thing he likely didn’t understand was how to break the barriers down.</p>
<p>                It was up to him to give Rude a helping hand with that one.</p>
<p>                Shifting on the couch, he rolled so he was in Rude’s lap, hearing the Alpha protest almost immediately. Reno reached up to put a finger on his partner’s mouth, shaking his head. “I’m not fucking with you and I’m not asking you to fuck me, all right? I need to get used to this.”</p>
<p>                He needed to get used to being close, to <em>wanting</em> to be close and following through. After denying it for so long, the one thing that Reno needed to get used to was being an Omega. That meant embracing everything that came with it, those moments of weakness where he’d simply give himself over to his Alpha.</p>
<p>                Instantly, Rude relaxed into the couch. It seemed he couldn’t resist just a little touch as a hand came to rest on Reno’s hip. Under any other circumstances, that hand would have been off of him and Reno felt that urge to knock him away. That part of him wasn’t actually <em>him</em>, it was the kneejerk reaction to reject any sort of touch. His left hand quivered slightly and he settled with putting it upon Rude’s shoulder.</p>
<p>                Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly as he relaxed. Looking at Rude, he shook his head. “You’re always wearing these damned glasses,” he griped.</p>
<p>                “All the better to hide things with,” Rude quipped back.</p>
<p>                “If I’m going to be honest with you, you’ve got to be honest with me, too. I’m not fucking you if I can’t even see your eyes,” Reno muttered, making a face at the Alpha beneath him.</p>
<p>                Rude’s brows arched above the sunglasses and he chuckled. “I’m not fucking you today anyway so what does it matter?”</p>
<p>                The Omega rolled his eyes with an irritated growl before stopping himself. His mind caught up to him, reminding him of what he was doing and where he was. Reno had to push down the instinct to get up and walk away which was the exact opposite of what he really wanted.</p>
<p>                If the Alpha noticed, he said nothing. He tipped his head to one side, clearly looking up at Reno, though the expression was entirely unreadable. Was he amused, frustrated? Or was he simply finding it hard to believe that Reno was going to return his affections?</p>
<p>                Damn the glasses.</p>
<p>                Slowly, Reno reached up to touch the side of the sunglasses his partner always wore. Meeting no resistance, he pulled them off to reveal the chestnut brown eyes underneath. It was then that he understood Rude wasn’t joking. He hid everything under the glasses, right down to the way he looked hungrily at Reno.</p>
<p>                It was shocking and more than a little humbling. Rude was definitely not playing around when he said he wanted Reno. He wanted him down to his core and he was willing to wait for however long it took for Reno to make his own decisions.</p>
<p>                “Too much?”</p>
<p>                Rude’s voice made Reno take in a soft breath. He’d just gotten lost in those eyes. How long was he just staring? Shaking his head, he gently tossed the glasses to the opposite side of the couch.</p>
<p>                “Okay, so you’re not going to fuck me, but can you at least kiss me?” Reno asked, finding that he felt the need for it deep down. This time, he held onto it and took the chance.</p>
<p>                A hand brushed Reno’s cheek, sending a small shiver through him. He felt himself pulled forward until warm, wet lips met his own. Such a simple touch that felt like heat against his skin. The contact lasted just long enough to give Reno a taste before Rude gave the other Turk’s chest a gentle shove.</p>
<p>                Reno ran his tongue over his lips, letting out the breath he’d held. “You’re really trying to stop me from getting too into this, aren’t you?” he complained.</p>
<p>                “Not going to apologize for making sure you have no regrets.” Rude had left his hands upon Reno’s chest, effectively keeping him from going in for more. “You might not get pregnant from doing it now, but you freaked out when you realized what you’re doing. The second your mind catches up to you, you’ll panic if you go too far.”</p>
<p>                Shit, he’d noticed that? Of course, he’d noticed that. Reno sighed in defeat, reaching up to put his hands on Rude’s. “Fine, I’ll give you that. At least let me savour it a bit longer.”</p>
<p>                It was so much easier to register the other Turk’s emotions with the glasses off. He was wary of allowing it, knowing how skittish Reno was. It wasn’t as if Reno was going to deny that he’d gone so long denying himself that it’d made him afraid of going for it. But fuck if that kiss hadn’t felt good. No wonder Cloud had a hard time leaving Zack’s lips.</p>
<p>                The weight of Rude’s hands left Reno’s chest, giving him a chance to lean in again. This time, it was Reno who initiated it, not giving himself time to process what he was doing. It helped that he rather enjoyed it and, this time, he took in a breath and closed his eyes.</p>
<p>                Processing <em>this</em> was satisfying. He could taste the beer on Rude’s lips and smell that infuriatingly enticing cologne he always wore. A small shift of his body and he could feel the warmth of the Alpha against him. It was fucking <em>amazing</em> and he couldn’t believe he’d denied himself for so long. Yet…</p>
<p>                …<em>He was kissing his partner</em>.</p>
<p>                With that single thought, the spell was broken and Reno pulled out of the kiss with a gasp. Instantly, he felt Rude’s hands on his cheeks, making the Omega focus on the other’s face.</p>
<p>                “Easy. Your mind caught up to you again.”</p>
<p>                Despite his misgivings, Reno settled on Rude’s lap again, only now realizing that he’d sat up to lean into their lip lock. It’d felt so good and then his brain fucked it all up. No wonder Rude was insisting on not letting him get too deep too quickly. All the protections he’d put up around himself made it impossible to move fast.</p>
<p>                Letting out a heavy breath, the red-head nodded to let the other Turk know he was fine. “Why is this shit so hard? Should be second nature.”</p>
<p>                Rude chuckled, letting his hands drop to his sides. “For you? You’ve got a long way to go before it’s even fourth nature.”</p>
<p>                The quip successfully distracted him enough to scowl at his partner. “Shut up, at least I’m fucking trying. Can’t be like those perfect little Omegas who roll over to ask for a belly rub.”</p>
<p>                “If you were like them, I wouldn’t be anywhere near as interested in you.”</p>
<p>                Again, with this casual honesty. Still, Reno could only laugh at that, reaching up to run his hands over his face. “How the fuck are you interested in an Omega who can’t even take a kiss without going into a panic?”</p>
<p>                “Because you won’t always be this way. I know you when you’re determined to get what you want,” Rude said, his mouth quirking upwards slightly. “It’s how I know you’re serious.”</p>
<p>                Even though he did feel like a bumbling idiot, he was at least smart enough to know that he wouldn’t become a pretty, perfect Omega overnight. For all his resolve to get it right in his heart, his mind had other ideas. He’d become his own worst enemy.</p>
<p>                The sound of a phone ringing made Reno jump, making a soft noise of irritation as Tseng interrupted them. He was off of Rude even before the Alpha told him to, figuring out that he was being called back into work. At least even Rude seemed to be disappointed that he had to leave. Not that they were making much headway in getting him to stop sinking to his stupid fortress of solitude.</p>
<p>                “Sorry, have to cut our playtime short.” Rude got up, taking his sunglasses from Reno. Just like that, they were back to being Turks.</p>
<p>                “Yeah, yeah. Go back to work. Think I need to work off something anyway.” It didn’t matter if he wasn’t expecting a dicking, his body sure as hell wanted one after all that.</p>
<p>                To his credit, Rude didn’t try to lean in for some cheesy goodbye kiss. He only laughed at what Reno was implying, adjusting his necktie. “We’ll continue practise some other time.” As he went to the door, he paused, looking over his shoulder. “You did well today, Reno. I don’t want perfection; I want you as you are.”</p>
<p>                Rude left before Reno had time to process what had been said, scowling at the door. “No kiss but you throw a cheesy line at me?” Now if only it didn’t make him feel all warm inside.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Back to Business</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>It's back to business for our confused Turk. Sort of. Bit of establishing things before we get to something more substantial.</p>
<p>Thank you all again for your support! ❣️</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                “So, how was your week off?” Tseng asked, idly shuffling some papers around on his desk. He’d taken up the desk that Cloud had vacated when he decided to become a stay-at-home parent.</p>
<p>                “Spiritual and enlightening. Now fill me in on what’s going on around here,” Reno replied curtly.</p>
<p>                He was pissed off. Not because he had to go back to work, but because he’d never been able to get time alone with Rude again. How was he supposed to know if he could make progress if he couldn’t even try? Something had caused the whole security team to start buzzing again. Just his luck.</p>
<p>                Looking up from his paperwork, Tseng looked to Reno. “Did you actually figure things out? I can’t have you being constantly distracted.”</p>
<p>                Reno fixed his boss with an angry glare. “You expect me to figure all this shit out in a week? I’m betting you’ve got no fucking clue what’s going on with me.” Which would be an interesting first for Tseng, really.</p>
<p>                “Give him a break, Tseng,” Zack muttered, looking up from his own reports. “If he’s trying to figure things out, you need to give him some time. It’s harder when you’re trying to do it on your own.”</p>
<p>                Looking in Zack’s direction, Reno tried to puzzle out if Cloud had broken his promise and told the Alpha everything. From the look on his face, however, it was easy to tell that he was taking a wild guess. He supposed it didn’t take much to guess what was going on with him. Having an Omega that he’d had to coax out of his shell had probably given him some insight into other male Omegas.</p>
<p>                Tseng shot a glare at Zack. “Reno is my second in command and I need him sharper than he has been since the birth of your son.”</p>
<p>                Yeah, it was clear Tseng didn’t dig deep into Alpha/Omega dynamics at all. Or he did but had no idea about the subtle intricacies of it. Not that Reno was any better, but at least he was more aware of himself now.</p>
<p>                “He might be your second, but you’re still under my command and I’m telling you to back off. I know he needs to focus, but things are different for him.” Zack shrugged apologetically at Reno. “I’m taking a guess since it’s pretty easy to figure it out from the past few months. Sorry, Reno.”</p>
<p>                Zack had probably guessed it at the same time Rude had. The instant that Reno had continued to spend more time with Fenrir, they knew what he was trying to do. Yet, neither had actually filled Tseng in on this little detail, or at least got him to understand it.</p>
<p>                “Be that as it may, I will have you on a limited schedule until you can prove to me that your head is in your work,” Tseng bit out.</p>
<p>                Rolling his eyes, Reno shrugged. “Whatever, boss.” He rolled his head a little before speaking again. “Might suggest a bit of light reading in your own downtime. Should learn a bit about this Alpha and Omega shit.”</p>
<p>                That made Tseng smirk, pulling open a drawer and throwing a thick book down. “I’m not an imbecile, Reno. I know perfectly well what’s happened to you. Simply put, I grow weary of your denial which splits you in half. Your refusal to accept it is what irritates me.” Taking advantage of the stunned silence, he folded his hands on his desk. “So, I’ll ask you again if you are doing your best to get yourself together.”</p>
<p>                Both Zack and Reno looked at each other. Reno felt an odd camaraderie with the former SOLDIER at the moment. Neither of them could have suspected Tseng had a clue what was going on, not from his insistence that Reno “figured himself out” in such a short timeframe.</p>
<p>                “I’m trying, boss. Trust me,” Reno bit out. “Not fucking easy.”</p>
<p>                Making a soft noise, the other Turk bowed his head slightly. “No, I’d imagine it’s not. I gave you the week off to make your own decision, whatever it might be. I had believed you would seek out the more extreme option.”</p>
<p>                Because the outward persona Reno had built for himself had done its job well. No one believed that he’d find an Alpha, or even accept one. Children for Reno? Hah, what an unlikely scenario <em>that</em> was. No, Reno would rather be forcibly sterilized than to go through all of that shit. He’d prefer to dead-end his genetic line and fuck instincts.</p>
<p>                “Surprise,” he muttered, laughing softly. He briefly enjoyed the surprised looks on the other men’s faces. “You’re not getting dirty details. If shit doesn’t work out, then it’s the snip I’ll take.”</p>
<p>                Zack grunted his displeasure at that thought. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”</p>
<p>                Of course, the one who had it all hoped that it worked out. Reno was growing more cynical by the day. Even if he’d apparently made some good progress that one day, his mind still stopped him constantly. It nagged at him, asking him what the hell he was thinking as he tried to go through motions he had no business being in. Then he’d remember the kiss he and Rude shared before his thoughts took it from him.</p>
<p>                “Reno?” Tseng called gently, tipping his head. “I will still keep you to reduced workloads. Please, take the time to do what you must. If you are truly trying to do this, I wish you all the best.”</p>
<p>                Well, that was oddly kind and gentle after the irritation that Tseng had given off earlier. Reno shrugged a shoulder. “I don’t know if it’ll work. Think it’s been too long for this old dog to learn new tricks, but when the hell was the last time I gave up easily?”</p>
<p>                Tseng nodded and finally began to fill him in on the state of Kalm while he’d been out of action. Rude had held back on him, not telling him everything, either. Apparently the remaining Shinra uprising was trying to use Wall Market to raise capital to reach their goals. It was surmised that they wouldn’t likely try anything in Kalm, so the race was on to find out exactly where they were going to go next.</p>
<p>                “Guess that explains everyone running around with their hair on fire,” Reno said, glad for the distraction from his own problems. “All that with Wall Market taking off, recipe for a shitshow just waiting to happen.”</p>
<p>                Zack sighed. “Tell me about it. They keep complaining about the extra security and the council is willing to bend over backwards to get the extra money Wall Market can make.” The Alpha rubbed at a temple, pausing a moment before chuckling. Secret bond stuff again? “They just want free rein to do what they did back in Midgar.”</p>
<p>                Reno rolled his eyes. “Of course. No one gave a shit and they were successful so they don’t want to have authority figures telling them what to do. Gil greasing the wheels there.”</p>
<p>                “And that’s how we ended up with assholes like Don Corneo,” Zack grumbled. “Can people not have fun without it being a freaky deathtrap? There are people who are here who don’t even know what Wall Market was.”</p>
<p>                “They’re in for a nice awakening if they think it’s just another Golden Saucer.” Reno chuckled at the thought. “Less about games and more about fun.”</p>
<p>                “Regardless, we must be able to strike a balance between order and chaos. We simply need to find it,” Tseng said.</p>
<p>                It felt oddly good to focus on work for a few hours, the trio spending much of that time laying out strategies for managing Wall Market. It wasn’t as if they had many options, but they had to try something to keep it from spiralling out of control. Leaving it unchecked would spell bad news for everyone involved, except for those looking for a certain kind of entertainment.</p>
<p>                They broke for lunch, Tseng stopping Reno momentarily with a hand on his shoulder. “It’s good to have you back on the team, but take it easy.”</p>
<p>                “If I keep sitting still, I’m going to go stir crazy,” Reno complained. “Where the hell is Rude, anyway? And I thought Elena was picking up my slack.”</p>
<p>                “Both are working with doing recon for the security team.” Pausing, Tseng looked sideways at Reno. “Will I be able to have you and Rude work together again?”</p>
<p>                Naturally, Rude would hardly have mentioned their little experiment from a few days ago. The instant they made it obvious, would Tseng pull them both off duty? In Shinra, it would have been a “conflict of interest” to have them continue to be partners at work. Considering how Cloud and Zack had worked together, he supposed that wasn’t going to be a problem here.</p>
<p>                “If you’re worried if we’re going to jump each other’s bones, don’t. I’m a long, long way off from being ready for any of that.” Reno caught himself, muttering a curse. He needed to be honest, but fuck did it feel wrong to do it. “We’ve worked together for a long time; it’d be stupid to change it up now.”</p>
<p>                If Tseng suspected the two were trying to be a pair, he didn’t call attention to it. He merely nodded. “Very well. Like I said, you are still on a lighter workload, but I may get you and Rude to get some intel for us soon.”</p>
<p>                Reaching up with a hand, he saluted. As Tseng left, Zack was the next one in line to talk to him, which was curious in and of itself.</p>
<p>                “Hey, you got time to go pick up some lunch? I want to float an idea to you.”</p>
<p>                “Ugh, talking about work over lunch? Tacky,” Reno joked, shrugging a shoulder. “Got no plans and if you know a good place, I’m not going to complain.”</p>
<p>                Zack nodded, leading the way to the same café that the Turks had met Cloud and Zack at all those months ago. He supposed that it was one of their favourite places to go, so now it was curious that Reno was the one being treated to it. If Zack was about to try and propose courting to him, he’d be the first one up and out of there. Cloud was more approachable now, but he sure as hell did not want to deal with that jealous, possessive streak he had.</p>
<p>                Once they had their food and had found a seat, Zack nodded. “I’m not going to talk about work, this is about you.”</p>
<p>                “Talking about courting over lunch is also tacky,” Reno muttered around his sandwich.</p>
<p>                That made Zack start, giving the Turk an amused look. “I wasn’t even going to suggest that. First, you’re not my type, and second, I’m a one Omega kinda guy.” He shook his head, eyes practically lit up with excitement. “But maybe someone else we know can help.”</p>
<p>                If he suggested Rude, he was going to probably choke on his lunch. “I’m listening.”</p>
<p>                “You should work with Cloud. He knows what it’s like, right?”</p>
<p>                Oh, sanctioned time with the kindly Omega to break through his shell. He’d tried that already and, though it’d helped, he was still such a long way off from applying that advice. Still…</p>
<p>                Taking a moment to take a drink, he gave it some thought. “I don’t need advice; I need a sledgehammer at this point.” Honesty again, to all the wrong people. Maybe it wasn’t so hard to be honest, just hard to be honest to the people that counted. “And that’s assuming Cloud wants to help.”</p>
<p>                “I’ll ask him tonight after work.” Seeing that Reno was still skeptical, Zack hummed. “You’ve got to do something, Reno. When you were visiting Fenrir, it was obvious what was going on. If what you’re feeling is anything like what Cloud did, I can’t imagine how bad you feel.”</p>
<p>                Damned Alphas and their perceptiveness. It was yet another instinct, he guessed. One of those that made it easier for the Alpha to know what his mate needed. While he’d always thought the relationship was one of domination, Zack and Cloud didn’t come off that way at all. Rude, on the other hand, did seem a bit more dominating than Zack was.</p>
<p>                Reno sighed softly, eventually nodding. “Yeah, okay. If he’s up for it, we’ll try your idea. You’d better make it clear to him that I’m not there for you, though.”</p>
<p>                Zack chuckled at that. “Oh, I will. Hell hath no fury like an Omega being asked to share space.”</p>
<p>                Whether it helped or not, it was at least going to be amusing to see the power couple’s dynamics at work. Even that, he figured, could be insightful. Rude wasn’t looking for perfection, but anything was better than what he was now.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Matter Over Mind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I'd apologize for the beginning of this chapter, but it was funny not to play with. A tiny bit of amusement before we dig deeper into Reno's issues.</p>
<p>As always, thank you so very much for your support on this fic! I appreciate it immensely! 💕</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                Even with the extra time off he was getting, it took a couple of days before Reno got word from Zack that Cloud had agreed to help. It made the Turk wonder how much blondie had protested the idea. To be fair, he wasn’t exactly sure what Zack was suggesting, but he had nothing to lose.</p>
<p>                Unlike his last visit, this one was expected and there was at least coffee laid out. While he would have preferred something alcoholic, but he highly doubted there was even a drop of it in this place.</p>
<p>                It was Zack who’d let him in while Cloud was being the doting mother to his son. Fuck, how he despised that tug he felt just watching them. Reno highly doubted that he’d ever be up to that level. From looking on the outside, Cloud really came off as the perfect male Omega to strive for.</p>
<p>                “Hey, wolf cub,” Reno said, taking a seat beside Cloud.</p>
<p>                Cloud gave him a pensive look before he turned his gaze to Zack who stood in front of them. “I know you’ve asked me to help, but what did you have in mind?”</p>
<p>                Good-hearted Cloud. The man was a vault and likely trying not to say that they’d gone the advice route already. “I got this, Cloud,” Reno said, shrugging. “I came here a few days ago to ask Cloud for advice. Good shit, but I’m starting to think I’m beyond help.”  </p>
<p>                Zack shrugged. “That’s fine. I was thinking a more practical approach.”</p>
<p>                “What?” both Cloud and Reno asked at the same time.</p>
<p>                “Don’t wrap me up in your kinky fantasies,” Reno groused.</p>
<p>                His reaction was mild compared to Cloud who was likely having one of those silent, emotional arguments with his Alpha. From the look on Zack’s face, it was hard not to just burst out laughing.</p>
<p>                “<em>That</em> is not what I meant,” Zack muttered. “And not with me, I meant with Cloud.”</p>
<p>                Both Omegas looked up at Zack, though it was impossible to know which of them was more embarrassed about the implications. They looked at each other briefly before Reno looked away. Yes, he’d thought that he could use some hands-on practise, but he’d hoped it’d be with Rude, not another Omega.</p>
<p>                “So, you want us to fool around with each other?” Cloud finally managed to ask.</p>
<p>                “That’s also not what I meant. Honestly, if you actually get that far, I think you’ve earned it.” Zack sighed, waving his hands in front of him as if to clear something away. “One of the hardest things was trying to even get close to you, Cloud. Learning about why you felt the way you did made a huge difference.”</p>
<p>                Cloud took in a breath and let it out slowly, bouncing Fenrir in his lap gently. “I think I understand what you’re going for now. It’s not about getting physically close, it’s getting emotionally close.”</p>
<p>                “If you’re asking me to start pouring my heart out, that’s not happening,” Rude muttered.</p>
<p>                Rubbing the back of his head, Zack let out a soft whistle. “Definitely have your work cut out for you.”</p>
<p>                “What, you’re not sticking around?” Cloud asked, watching as his Alpha started packing up Fenrir’s things.</p>
<p>                Slipping on the carrier he usually used to walk around with Fenrir, Zack shook his head. “I’ll get in the way and probably make things worse.” He carefully picked up his son, smiling brightly at him as he slipped him into the carrier. Once he was positive the baby was secure, Zack shouldered the baby bag. “We are going to go visit auntie Tifa while you two try to make some headway.”</p>
<p>                Cloud followed Zack as he moved to leave, scowling gently. “You owe me for this. Advice is one thing, but even this goes to the outer edges of my comfort zone. Digging into another person’s reasons for why they are the way they are isn’t my style.”</p>
<p>                “I know, and that’s why you’re perfect to help. You know how to break through the comfort zone and I really think Reno could use that assistance.”</p>
<p>                Reno leaned back in the couch, folding his arms behind his head as if uninterested in what was going on at the front door. In actuality, he was definitely getting a taste of how the two lived and worked together. Cloud was right, it was no utopia. It was definitely enlightening to see that even the two of them could have disagreements, no matter how minor.</p>
<p>                “Guess I should be grateful it wasn’t what I thought you were insinuating earlier,” Cloud muttered.</p>
<p>                “I’d never suggest that sort of thing. Good luck,” Zack said, leaning in to kiss his Omega.</p>
<p>                <em>That</em> was definitely not what he needed. Reno tuned them out then, letting them give their sappy farewells in some form of privacy. It wasn’t until Cloud came back and sat down beside him. Now that it was just the two of them, Reno could tell that Cloud was trying to figure out where to begin.</p>
<p>                “I have to ask, Reno. I’m not asking with who, but I do need to know how far you’ve gotten with that interested Alpha of yours,” Cloud said.</p>
<p>                Such discretion. “Got in a couple of kisses and I sat in his lap, that’s it.” Reno paused, letting out a heavy sigh. “First kiss was too short so I asked for a second. Head caught up to me and ruined the whole damn moment.”</p>
<p>                Cloud relaxed slightly, nodding. “That’s not a bad start, but I’m not surprised your mind’s overruling your heart. You haven’t even started to break down your barriers.”</p>
<p>                “Tell me something I don’t know.” Shifting in his seat to look at the other Omega, Reno furrowed his brow. “There’s got to be a trick to this. Feels more like I’m fucking broken than I am protecting myself.”</p>
<p>                A soft noise from Cloud made Reno look up, seeing that the other Omega looked bothered by something. “I know a thing or two about feeling broken,” Cloud said, his voice low. “It feels like it makes you impossible to be chosen by anyone, no matter how much you want it.”</p>
<p>                Letting out a mirthless laugh, Reno nodded. “Yeah. Guessing you felt pretty broken after all the bullshit Hojo put you through.”</p>
<p>                “I <em>am</em> broken thanks to him. Fenrir might even be the only baby I ever have since we know so little about the effects of Jenova cells and mako on my system.” Cloud smiled sadly, shrugging a shoulder. “So, if you ever wonder why I like being at home with him, that’s why.”</p>
<p>                “Makes my shit seem kind of trivial, doesn’t it?” Honestly, Reno wasn’t sure how to feel about that. He knew he had heat cycles still, he knew he was capable of it, it was only the act of getting there which he had trouble with.</p>
<p>                Cloud shook his head. “No, it doesn’t. Like I said a few days ago, we’ve all got something broken inside. Mine now isn’t because of what I was born as and how we’re treated growing up.” Mako-blue eyes turned up to look at Reno again. “Both of us have that in common, at least. I couldn’t bring myself to do anything with Zack for a while because my mind kept telling me he was a friend and not more than that.”</p>
<p>                Like how he considered Rude his partner, not a prime and willing Alpha. Even though his body and heart were more than willing, the mind had other ideas. “There’s a breaking point, right? When what I want just overrides all those fucking defense mechanisms.”</p>
<p>                “Unfortunately for you, my breaking point was when I first kissed Zack. You’ve already gotten that far.” Cloud thought for a moment. “Your defense systems are really embedded in you. Why?”</p>
<p>                “What the hell do you mean ‘why?’ You know why.”</p>
<p>                Folding his arms over his chest, Cloud shook his head. “If I did, I wouldn’t be asking. When I was younger, before the incident in Nibelheim, I wasn’t exactly sociable but I had the attention of Alphas. After we escaped, I became wary because I felt wrong so I wanted to keep everyone away.”</p>
<p>                Reno grumbled, not expecting to have to dig into his past for why he’d rejected an Alpha for so long. “Time, I guess. I’ve got a career and it’s one of those careers that makes you think against having a kid. Turks have a tendency to make themselves targets, even in a place like this.”</p>
<p>                “No, that’s not it. Not entirely. You’ve wanted to give into your Omega instincts for a long time, we established that last time.” Tipping his head to one side, Cloud tried to understand what was really going on. “Is it because of the Alpha you’ve chosen?”</p>
<p>                Furrowing his brow, Reno thought it over. He supposed that was part of it as well. As he already thought, trying to get past the fact that Rude was his partner and friend was difficult. Like he was afraid to escalate their relationship in case he ruined everything they had. They were good together; they had a sort of synergy that he worried would be demolished if they changed their relationship.</p>
<p>                Noticing that Cloud was waiting for him, he nodded. “Yeah, it might. I guess I wanted it from him a long time ago, but we’ve both been dancing around it.”</p>
<p>                Cloud said nothing for a moment, though his mouth moved as if he wanted to say something. Eventually, he sighed deeply. “It’s Rude, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>                “I’m surprised it took you this long to say it,” Reno admitted. “Not like I know or have gotten close to many Alphas.”</p>
<p>                Laughing lightly, Cloud nodded his head. “That’s true. Right now, it’s all about matter over your mind.” Seeing Reno’s confused look, he snorted. “I am aware it’s ‘mind over matter’ but, in this case, your mind’s not the best place to be. You’re stuck on thinking you’ll lose something if you two go too far and that’s all in your head, not your heart.”</p>
<p>                Blunt, painfully so. Still, he shook his head. “Shit would change between us, you know that.”</p>
<p>                “For better or worse? He obviously didn’t reject you if you shared a couple of kisses and let you sit on his lap. Nothing would change for him, you’re the only one who thinks it would.” Cloud rubbed idly at his bonding tattoo, looking contemplative. “Just like I was the only one who thought everything would irreversibly change when I moved to the next step with Zack. It didn’t, things got better from there.”</p>
<p>                “It’s not the same,” Reno scoffed.</p>
<p>                “Isn’t it?”</p>
<p>                It was like he could feel Cloud knocking on the rock-solid barriers he’d put up. He couldn’t believe for a single second that nothing would change between them. How could it possibly get better just because they added a complicated relationship on top of it?</p>
<p>                Sensing Reno’s hesitation, the other Omega let out a heavy breath. “Until you can accept that things won’t change for the worse, you won’t be able to move on. You’ve been languishing in the comfortable friendship for so long, you can’t see that being friends is the best thing to start a relationship on.”</p>
<p>                “Wow, you find a weak point and just attack it, don’t you?” Reno griped. “Okay, I get it already. I don’t believe you, but I get it.”</p>
<p>                “If you don’t believe me, you don’t get it,” Cloud grunted irritably. “It’s like talking to a wall. Now I know why Zack would always get frustrated as he tried to get close to me.”</p>
<p>                “Quit trying to compare me to you!” Reno glared at the other Omega, feeling rage boiling beneath his skin. “You have no fucking clue the kind of relationship Rude and I have. Just because you and Zack are war buddies doesn’t make you the same as a Turk. Always having to be professional, calm, cool, collected. <em>You</em> don’t have a boss who thinks you’re a fucking liability.”</p>
<p>                Cloud returned the glare, folding his arms over his chest. “You really believe all of that?”</p>
<p>                There was something in the way that Cloud said it that made Reno stop, taking in what he’d said. Just as before, he noticed that Cloud had slipped back into being who he was before having a son. Right now, the Turk was facing the same man who kicked his ass horribly and nearly prevented the plate from dropping.</p>
<p>                Nothing had changed, not really. Cloud was still Cloud, just different depending on the situation. Right now, he needed to be the hard son of a bitch that took no shit.</p>
<p>                Anger spent, Reno let out a heated breath then nodded. “Yeah, I do. Tseng’s been riding me pretty hard about it all and it feels weird thinking of Rude as an Alpha. He’s always been the partner I rely on.”</p>
<p>                “Then he can be the Alpha you rely on. You’d both be stronger for it.” Cloud reached forward, putting a hand on Reno’s shoulder. “I know trusting anyone is hard. You’re not going to get anywhere if you keep holding onto what you just told me.”</p>
<p>                For the first time, Reno was sure he felt and looked the Omega that he was. It was different showing that side to another Omega who clearly had similar experiences than showing it to an Alpha. Alphas would pounce on that weakness faster than you could blink. Omegas didn’t give a damn and generally wanted to help one another.</p>
<p>                At least he didn’t break down crying. That would have been something he would never have lived down.</p>
<p>                He took in a deep breath and straightened himself before nodding, letting out the breath slowly. “For a guy who’s just a Shinra grunt, how’d you get therapist qualifications?”</p>
<p>                Cloud’s hard gaze finally broke as he laughed softly. “I know that this is what I would have liked to hear a long, long time ago.”</p>
<p>                Reno felt exhausted. “I feel like I just ran a fucking marathon.”</p>
<p>                “Because you did.” Chuckling softly, Cloud finally removed his hand from Reno’s shoulder. “It’s hard to be truly honest with yourself.”</p>
<p>                “No shit.” Sighing gently, Reno leaned back in the couch and closed his eyes. “Where the hell do I go from here?”</p>
<p>                “That depends on if you’re going to try to let go of your idea that everything will change for the worse or not.”</p>
<p>                Which was what Cloud had been saying all along. “You really think it won’t change that much? Feels like you can’t add getting dicked down on the regular without things changing.”</p>
<p>                Cloud chuckled and Reno could practically hear the smirk on the other’s face. “Why do you think I’m in a good mood the vast majority of the time?”</p>
<p>                Reno opened his eyes and looked down at the smug bastard as he took a cookie from the tray on the coffee table. That was, perhaps, way too much information but it did make some sense. “I thought having kids was supposed to kill your sex life.”</p>
<p>                “No good Alpha gives up a chance to knot his Omega,” Cloud said simply.</p>
<p>                “You are <em>way</em> too into passing on that information,” Reno muttered. “Talk about humble bragging.”</p>
<p>                Reno practically jumped off the couch as his cellphone rang, knocking him out of the relaxed state he was in. It’d been the calmest he’d been in weeks and, of course, someone had to ruin it. He pulled out his phone, cursing softly. Giving Cloud an apologetic shrug, he answered it.</p>
<p>                “Yes, boss?” he answered in the most sing-song voice he had.</p>
<p>                Tseng sighed and he could picture the man pinching the bridge of his nose. “I know it’s your day off today, but I need to know you’re up for a small recon run tomorrow with Rude.”</p>
<p>                “You have no goddamn idea how hard it is not to fuck with you sometimes.” Reno grinned slightly. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. Promise I’ll keep my instincts where they belong.”</p>
<p>                “Reno, you know I will never blame you for that. You are in a unique situation, after all. Just try to make sure Rude is on the same page.”</p>
<p>                Rude scowled. “Okay, now you’re fucking with <em>me</em>. I see how it is. See you tomorrow, Reno out.”</p>
<p>                He hung up the phone before Tseng could even get out a single snicker, though it seemed that Cloud was going to fill in for him. He’d only heard one half of the conversation and he was still amused by it.</p>
<p>                “Getting teamed up with Rude tomorrow,” Reno said, shifting to sit up properly on the couch. “Uh, thanks for helping. Again.”</p>
<p>                “You know where I am if you need to talk. Good luck with everything tomorrow.”</p>
<p>                It was strange to think that he and Cloud were becoming good friends. He supposed he could do worse than this sometimes-irritating Omega who had it all. Could be that, one day, he’d feel just as satisfied with his life.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Breaking Point</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Everyone's got them, Reno just needed to find his. Let's be real here, Cloud did all the work, Reno needs to follow through.</p>
<p>Thank you all for your support! Every last comment, kudo, and bookmark makes me smile. 💖</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                “…In short, it’s Wall Market being Wall Market.” Reno shrugged as he leaned back in his chair. “We can keep an eye on them all we like, but they’ll keep doing what they want. Don’t even know why we’re bothering.”</p>
<p>                Rude adjusted his glasses. “The security team has been spread thin since Wall Market set up shop. Just giving them a hand.”</p>
<p>                “Good work, both of you. There’s nothing else for you today so feel free to take time off.” Tseng said, filling out the paperwork.</p>
<p>                “Wait, both of us?” Reno asked, looking surprised as Tseng nodded. “Thanks, boss.”</p>
<p>                Neither of them was going to wait for Tseng to find them something else to do, it seemed. Both got up and left the office, walking silently through the halls of the security building.</p>
<p>                It’d been like nothing happened between them during the entire mission. Even though Reno’s mind had been whirling about whether Rude would ask him about things, he’d said nothing. Not even a single suggestion that they’d done anything at all. It all flew in the face of what he believed and Reno was silently irritated that Cloud seemed to be right.</p>
<p>                That said, not having any attention called to it felt equally wrong. Was this really what he wanted? To have such a secret relationship that it was like it didn’t exist? Though he didn’t want things to outwardly change, he supposed that a bit of change wasn’t so bad. He was an Omega; it was expected of him.</p>
<p>                “Reno?”</p>
<p>                Looking over, the red-haired Turk shrugged. “You say something?”</p>
<p>                Rude made a noise then nodded. “Was wondering if you wanted to come to my place for a little while.”</p>
<p>                His surprise must have shown as he saw a grin on the Alpha’s face. “Sure, if you’re good with that.”</p>
<p>                It was just an invitation but something inside of Reno made him feel giddy. Perhaps because it was the first time any Alpha had actually invited him anywhere, let alone one he was interested in. He sure hadn’t felt this way when Zack suggested he visit, so that meant something, right? Right. It had to.</p>
<p>                Once they were inside, Reno didn’t even hesitate to kick off his shoes. It’d been warm out this day and he’d felt uncomfortable the entire time. He fell onto the couch, closing his eyes with a soft sigh. Though he had a feeling that he wouldn’t be feeling very relaxed soon, he was going to enjoy it while it lasted.</p>
<p>                “Here.”</p>
<p>                Taking the offered drink, Reno let out a gentle laugh. “You don’t have to get me drunk to get me to talk.”</p>
<p>                Rude merely grunted as he sat down, opening his can. “Worked last time.”</p>
<p>                “It wasn’t because I was buzzed. If I were, I wouldn’t have freaked out so damn much,” Reno muttered. It didn’t stop him from enjoying the drink he was offered.</p>
<p>                “But it wouldn’t have been real.”</p>
<p>                Ah, ever blunt, just like a certain blondie he knew. “Nah, it would’ve been pretty bad. Think I’d rather be a bit sober around you.”</p>
<p>                Rude seemed to pick up that something was different for Reno. He looked over at his partner, though it was impossible to tell what was really going on behind the sunglasses. “Did something happen?”</p>
<p>                Not looking over at Rude, Reno shrugged. “I had a chat with someone who helped me figure out some shit. Not saying I’m all good now, but better than I was.” He smirked a bit, finally casting a quick glance to the other Turk. “You don’t get points for guessing who I talked to. Wasn’t exactly my idea.”</p>
<p>                Humming thoughtfully, Rude focused more on his drink than the Omega beside him. “He must have dug into you pretty badly.”</p>
<p>                “You aren’t kidding. He found the weak point and went at it like a starving dog. No wonder their sigil is of a wolf.”</p>
<p>                Not even thinking about how much interest that would garner, Reno was surprised as Rude’s eyebrows raised. “So, what was the weak point?”</p>
<p>                He was silent at the question, knowing that Rude would be quick to deny it. Eventually, Reno knew he couldn’t keep it in forever. “I don’t want to ruin what we’ve got in the field. We’ve been partners for a long time and it feels like a relationship might fuck it all sideways. Tseng won’t like it if you start prioritizing me over everything else.”</p>
<p>                Chuckling gently, Rude took off his glasses and set them on the coffee table. “Reno, have you really been so blind that you didn’t notice that I do prioritize you over a lot of things?”</p>
<p>                “Guess so,” Reno snorted. “C’mon, you can’t tell me that things wouldn’t change.”</p>
<p>                “Not for me.”</p>
<p>                Reno’s head whipped to one side, looking at the Alpha in confusion. “How the hell can you possibly know that?”</p>
<p>                Letting out a patient sigh, Rude rolled his eyes. “You already know I’ve cared for you for a lot longer than you know. Absolutely nothing would change for me. Just like how we executed our mission today perfectly fine despite our time together before.”</p>
<p>                This was entirely unfair. He wasn’t allowed to just pass the Gil onto him – though he supposed it <em>was</em> entirely on him, wasn’t it? It was his mind tied up in thinking that they’d alter everything if they became a mated pair. It was Reno that Rude was waiting on to get his shit together and make a choice, no matter what it was.</p>
<p>                Growling and running a hand through his hair, Reno set his beer can on the table. “Were you really just trying to prove a point today by not saying anything?”</p>
<p>                Rude surprised him by reaching out with a hand, angling the Omega’s head up with a finger under his chin. “You can’t have it both ways. If you want nothing to change in the field, I’ll mention nothing while we’re there. Or, I could always mention it and turn it into a big deal.” The bastard smirked at the irritation that showed in Reno’s steel blue eyes. “There’s another way, but I need to know for sure before we come to that.”</p>
<p>                As per usual, Reno was trying to have his cake and eat it too. It was important to be professional in the field, even though he knew he wouldn’t even be in the field after he birthed a child. They’d still be partners, still working together in some capacity.</p>
<p>                Something in Rude’s eyes made it clear he enjoyed the defiance Reno showed. It mellowed to mild irritation and he swatted the Alpha’s hand away. “What did you need to know?”</p>
<p>                “Whether you care for me the same way I care for you.”</p>
<p>                Oh, well, that would make sense, wouldn’t it? It was a question he’d never even asked <em>himself</em> despite how important it was. Perhaps that was because the answer to the question was glaringly obvious, lost in the mire of all his other denials.</p>
<p>                Irritation was lost and he grinned lopsidedly. “Fucking say it like you mean it, partner. You want to know if I love you.” The shock on Rude’s face was worth it for saying the word alone. “And you’re going to be a dominating asshole and make me say it first, aren’t you?”</p>
<p>                Rude stared for a moment before he chuckled. “What the hell did Cloud do to you? I figured he dug deep, but did he really pull out the roots of the spiked fence?”</p>
<p>                Was that how he’d seen it all this time? No wonder Rude never tried to approach him about it before, though it was fairly apt. His prickly nature would keep anyone away, even his own partner that he’d stupidly fallen in love with somewhere down the line. He could childishly blame his Omega instincts, but he knew it was more than that. Rude played off of him perfectly which was why they worked so well together.</p>
<p>                Taking in a soft breath, he laughed. “Think it’s a combined effort at this point. I’ve gotten really tired of fighting it, just didn’t want to be proven right.”</p>
<p>                “Or proven wrong. You always split yourself into two different directions with neither of them being acceptable to you. Yet one is always more preferable than the other and that is the one you choose.”</p>
<p>                Reno scowled lightly. “You know, I can always change my mind.” All it took was the look of amused disbelief that made the red-haired Omega sigh. “No, I can’t. You’re still an asshole, but you know I love you.”</p>
<p>                Rude was on him before he had time to process what was going on. Lips covered his own in a kiss that was much more heated than their last. This time, Reno didn’t feel those thoughts encroaching to ruin the moment. He let it happen and returned the affection with just as much enthusiasm. Like hell he knew how to kiss, but it seemed like letting things go on autopilot was doing the trick.</p>
<p>                When they broke apart, Reno was slightly dazed, a goofy grin on his face. “Fuck, you could just say it back instead of pouncing on me.”</p>
<p>                “Nowhere near as fun.” Rude grinned in a most unusually playful nature. “Besides, you know I love you and you’re an asshole for holding out for so long.”</p>
<p>                Their relationship wasn’t Cloud and Zack’s. They would never be them, not even months from now. It still worked and Reno knew that absolutely nothing would change – dynamic-wise, at least. Their lives would change eventually.</p>
<p>                “Please, you loved the chase,” he quipped, shifting to get more comfortable under the Alpha.</p>
<p>                “And watching this idiot Omega constantly denying himself every step of the way.” Rude only grinned at the grumble in Reno’s throat. Closing his eyes briefly, Rude made a noise. “Thanks.”</p>
<p>                Furrowing his brow, Reno shook his head. “Are you thanking me for finally giving in?” he asked incredulously. He paused just enough before he smirked. “If that’s the case, you’re welcome.”</p>
<p>                Clearly having enough of the Omega’s sass, Rude tilted his head and then leaned in for a light nip to Reno’s neck. “You know what the third option was for having attention brought to our relationship, don’t you?”</p>
<p>                The nip had sent a shiver up his spine and Reno could only nod for a moment. He swallowed, trying to regain his composure. “You already want to mark me as yours.”</p>
<p>                “I’ve been waiting for years to see you with it. Visible to anyone who sees you.” A finger came up to trace down Reno’s chest, settling an inch or so beneath his collarbone. “You always bare it anyway, so let’s give you a real reason to be so proud.”</p>
<p>                Everything was moving fast, yet Reno couldn’t even begin to dredge up a reason to stop it. He’d denied himself for too long and way too hard for an Omega to take when he had what he wanted in his grasp. It was fine to be an Omega in front of an Alpha.</p>
<p>                “I’ll wear your mark as long as you promise to give me what I fucking need.” Oh, that felt <em>good</em>. Reno reached up, catching his Alpha by surprise enough to pull him into another heated kiss. Pulling away, he grinned at Rude who was growling in the back of his throat. “Deal?”</p>
<p>                “Just warn me when you go off those pills. Last thing we need is for you to go into heat in the middle of the office or a mission.”</p>
<p>                It was a promise. He nodded, feeling a sort of finality about it as he did. Again, he was proven wrong when it didn’t feel like he’d been thrown into a gilded cage. In fact, he felt freer than he’d ever been in his life. He was still anxious, but at least it was manageable now.</p>
<p>                Reaching up with both of his arms to gently embrace his Alpha, Reno tipped his head to one side. “So, what do we want to do now?”</p>
<p>                “Depends on what you think you can handle. I might be more dominating than some other Alphas, but I’m not pushing you to do anything you don’t want.”</p>
<p>                Rolling his eyes, Reno let out a soft noise of irritation. “You’re going to make me ask for that, too? Appreciate the gentle approach, but if I have to ask you to fuck me by now, I’m not sure I’m the only one who’s got reservations.”</p>
<p>                He knew what he was doing and it was precisely what Rude had warned him against the first time. Reno was done with being denied and denying things in turn. Just as he’d asked Cloud before, there was definitely a breaking point and he’d found his: being completely ignored. Who knew he desired so much attention? He’d always had Rude’s attention on him, it was time he claimed it properly.</p>
<p>                Without so much as a warning, Rude bent his head down to kiss his way up Reno’s chest, savouring every hitched breath the Omega took. “If you’re really sure, I’ll give it to you,” the Alpha murmured against Reno’s lips.</p>
<p>                For a brief moment, Reno felt his mind tell him he was in too deep. He closed his eyes, willing that kneejerk reaction away. He wasn’t in deep enough for his liking.</p>
<p>                “Ease me into it.” The words sounded like they came from someone else entirely, but Reno knew what he wanted. He laughed softly, one hand sliding down to unbutton Rude’s shirt. “First time I’ve ever taken anything slowly.”</p>
<p>                Rude chuckled, starting to unbutton Reno’s shirt, hands splaying over the bared skin. “You were slow enough to realize what you wanted.” If he noticed the noise of irritation, Rude gave no sign. He was far too distracted with tracing his tongue over every inch of skin he could find.</p>
<p>                At one point, maybe Reno would have balked at having someone practically slobbering over him. It was tongue mixed with teeth and lips, seeking out spots that made him squirm. He reached up to grasp at the arm of the couch, looking downward just as Rude looked up at him.</p>
<p>                “How the hell are you so good at that?” Reno asked, his voice quivering much like the rest of him.</p>
<p>                The Alpha shifted, slipping off his own jacket and shirt to reveal the dark skin underneath. “Dreams can teach you a lot, but so can other things.” Rude’s lips quirked up into a slight smirk. “I’m still going to be learning the real you. Any dreams you’ve ever had, no matter how erotic, will always pale in comparison.”</p>
<p>                Talk about a crash course in sex. The only time he ever really had those kinds of dreams was during his muted heat cycles. It was always a burning need in the pit of his stomach which went away the next morning. He felt it now, except he was sure this wasn’t going to go away anytime soon.</p>
<p>                “Are you telling me or teasing me?” Reno could feel his impatience rising inside of him, threatening to make him practically demand that they go further.</p>
<p>                He looked down as he felt a tug at his belt, seeing Rude’s fingers deftly undoing it. Suddenly, Reno felt anxious and excited at the same time and it all began to feel more real. To his credit, he didn’t try to stop Rude from what he was doing, but he knew the Alpha would pick up on his nervous energy. Once they bonded, he wouldn’t be able to hide anything any longer. It was likely a good thing that he felt more relief from that realization than worry.</p>
<p>                Taking in a cleansing breath, Reno sat up enough to get his own shirt and jacket off completely. He was serious about it, especially considering he wasn’t getting any younger. Being an unattached Omega in the late twenties was almost embarrassing. That it’d taken him this long to get this close to losing his virginity absolutely <em>was</em> embarrassing.</p>
<p>                “I’m going to guess you want to pick up the pace.”</p>
<p>                Growling softly, Reno leaned in to press up against his Alpha, relishing the feel of their bodies together. “Ding, ding, ding!” he sang out, fingers reaching to open Rude’s belt. “Was that a record for me?”</p>
<p>                An Omega’s growl was almost sad compared to an Alpha’s. With how close they were to each other, Reno could feel Rude’s feral rumblings going right through him. It mixed with the deep chuckle Rude let out, pushing them both down to the couch once more.</p>
<p>                “Almost. Knew you’d let instincts overrule you,” he murmured.</p>
<p>                Once he gave into them, sure. That was usually his way, though he’d definitely been more reluctant than most to let what he was rule him. Even now, he was hardly an ideal Omega, but it was appealing to him to let someone else take over.</p>
<p>                Rude didn’t even wait for Reno to lift his hips before he tugged off the Omega’s pants, easily doing the same to himself shortly after. Reno was well aware that Alphas were supposed to be huge, but <em>fuck</em>. No wonder Cloud didn’t consider having a baby as splitting him in two, Zack had already likely gotten him used to it.</p>
<p>                He was surprised when the Alpha hesitated, Reno’s lips quirking upwards. “If you go easy on me now, I’m going to start questioning whether you really know me.”</p>
<p>                After all, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t fooled around with himself. Nothing as large as what was about to fill him out, but he was at least used to penetration. He still cursed as Rude’s cock entered him in one rough motion up to the knot, unable to stop himself from tensing slightly.</p>
<p>                Not giving Reno much of a chance to get used to it, Rude lifted one of the Omega’s legs, bending it at the knee and pressing it down. The other leg was pushed up behind the thigh, spreading Reno wide as he began to thrust into him hard and fast.</p>
<p>                Pinned as he was, Reno grit his teeth, feeling every inch of Rude’s cock stretching him and sending shocks of pleasure through his whole body. He’d trained himself to be quiet, not wanting to be caught in case he had to share quarters with someone. Even so, he eventually panted, letting out soft noises as he felt an orgasm coming on.</p>
<p>                His legs tensed and he tipped his head back with a raspy groan. “<em>Fuck</em>,” Reno hissed. He vaguely sensed that Rude had stopped, no doubt enjoying the way the Omega’s pussy tightened around him. A giddy laugh left Reno’s throat and he reached up to trace his fingers down Rude’s stomach. “<em>That</em> was a record.”</p>
<p>                Strong arms lifted him and he was suddenly sitting in Rude’s lap in a very different way than he had been before. It drove the Alpha in deeper and made it more obvious that the knot was there, ready to sink in when Rude wanted it to. Unable to help himself, Reno pressed down and moved his hips, grinning as he heard the growl from his lover.</p>
<p>                Rough hands grasped his ass and then he was being moved, bracing himself on Rude’s shoulders. It was hard to believe he’d been this close before and panicked only days before. The thought seemed almost amusing now. Leaning in, Reno pressed his lips hard against his Alpha’s, allowing a low moan into the contact.</p>
<p>                He felt Rude’s lips quirk up before a hand wrapped around his cock and the Alpha began driving himself upward. There was no way Reno could hold back now, a needy groan making him break off the kiss they’d had going on.</p>
<p>                His toes splayed as he felt his dick twitch in Rude’s hand while he had a secondary orgasm from the cock inside of him. Tilting his head back with a shouted curse, he drove himself down as he shook from the intensity of the sensations.</p>
<p>                “Holy <em>shit</em>,” Reno groaned.</p>
<p>                Rude was relentless, barely letting the Omega process everything before he was thrusting up into Reno again. Since he’d likely dreamed of this moment, Reno was sure that Rude was going to savour every second of it. Not that Reno was any different as he got used to having orgasm after orgasm without pausing.</p>
<p>                Keeping count wasn’t even on his mind, just like trying to stay quiet was impossible now. He was flipped over onto his back and soon Rude was thrusting into him hard. Rude’s hands were on both of his legs, right behind his knees, making him reach up to cling to the arm of the couch to brace himself.</p>
<p>                Nails scraped against the soft fabric as he felt the knot start to stretch him impossibly wide. “Fuck,” Reno whined, gasping as the knot finally slipped inside of him.</p>
<p>                Oh, but Rude wasn’t done then. A few shallow thrusts lodged him in deep before he yelled his climax, fingers digging into Reno’s legs. Even though his lust-addled mind was trying to keep up with everything, Reno couldn’t help but admire how good Rude looked when he was riding out his orgasm.</p>
<p>                Reno moaned as his muscles massaged every last inch of the cock buried inside of him, wincing slightly as he felt his womb filling. Shit, he wasn’t prepared for that at all. It didn’t feel <em>bad</em>, not even close. He also wasn’t prepared for Rude’s hand running over the soft swell, fingers dancing over taut skin before he lowered himself down over his Omega.</p>
<p>                Not saying a word, the two fell easily into post-orgasmic bliss, Reno letting the couch go and wrapping his arms around Rude. It’d been more intense than he’d expected and even better than he’d imagined.</p>
<p>                “Bonding tomorrow?” Reno asked.</p>
<p>                Rude merely grunted his assent, nipping at his Omega’s throat. Soon, Reno could feel the warm, steady breath of his lover at his neck.</p>
<p>                Maybe being an Omega wasn’t so bad after all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. New Recruits</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                All eyes were on him as Reno walked through the halls of the security building. It was no wonder, considering what was emblazoned on his sternum. Mutters followed him, some of them speculating whether he was the Alpha or the Omega. Most decided on the former rather than the latter which showed how much knowledge they had of things.</p>
<p>                He entered the office, Zack looking up as he did and whistling. “Nice mark. Congrats,” he said, smiling brightly.</p>
<p>                Tseng looked up from his paperwork, eyes fixing on the tattoo. “Well, this <em>is</em> a surprise. What happened that caused the Reno I know to take such a mark?”</p>
<p>                “We’ve all got breaking points and I found mine,” Reno replied simply with a shrug. He sat down in one of the chairs, idly adjusting his clothes so they didn’t brush against the fresh tattoo. “Shit still burns a bit.”</p>
<p>                Zack chuckled. “It’ll do that sometimes no matter how long you’ve had it. It’s a good thing, don’t complain.”</p>
<p>                That was what he’d been told. Their bond was sealed and Reno was actually surprised that he wasn’t exactly overwhelmed with it. Not that he didn’t know Rude was calm and collected, but he could only imagine the wild ride he’d put his Alpha on.</p>
<p>                Fingers brushed over the silhouette of a Coeurl with the outline of jagged claw marks and he nodded. “Yeah, yeah, I know. The guy who did it was chatty enough about it.” Even Rude had made it obvious it’d bothered him which was satisfying. Only proved what they’d established the day before.</p>
<p>                Clearing his throat, Tseng eyed the mark again. “Then I suppose you’re here to ask for your hours back? I didn’t have you on schedule today, though Rude is late.”</p>
<p>                As if on cue, Rude entered the office, holding out a cup of coffee for Reno to take. “Apologies, there was a line up.”</p>
<p>                “Thanks,” Reno mumbled, sipping gratefully at his drink. “My fault, I demanded something to wake me up.”</p>
<p>                Tseng narrowed his eyes before he finally saw it. Rude’s was a little less obvious unless one took a closer look behind his left ear, the dark Coeurl silhouette and claw marks still standing out against his skin. It’d been bad enough to get it on his chest, yet Rude had zoned out just as much as Reno had. The Omega had the sneaking suspicion that his lover did that just to feel his tongue on a sensitive spot. He’d explore it the next time they were together.</p>
<p>                Zack was the one who’d missed it, but that wasn’t shocking considering Rude was facing entirely away from the other Alpha’s desk. He didn’t miss the look Tseng gave to his subordinates, making Zack arch a brow. “What?”</p>
<p>                “Rarely do I feel like I don’t know the people I work with, but this is definitely the last thing I expected from either of you.” Tseng was definitely more surprised and there was no anger in his gaze. He was likely puzzling out how the two had gotten so close right under his nose. “Were we still in Shinra, I’d question whether this was a positive thing or not.”</p>
<p>                “Boss, we’ve worked together for years. It’s not like it’s that weird,” Reno said, jabbing his thumb towards Zack who had finally caught on. “They don’t care around here. Cloud might be out of the office, but he’s still behind the scenes even at home.”</p>
<p>                It didn’t take spelling it out for Tseng to get it. Yes, Reno would eventually have to be taken off the roster, but he’d still be a Turk in some capacity. He’d gone longer than most Omegas tended to with a career like he had, but enough was enough. The last time he’d had to force pills down his throat to prevent his heat cycle and he knew he couldn’t fight that any longer. Now he had an Alpha he loved and wanted to build a family with who just so happened to be his partner.</p>
<p>                Sighing gently, Tseng smiled. “I understand. I suppose it’s a good thing that we’ve been looking for new recruits for the Turks, then.” When Reno started, his boss chuckled. “No, I was not looking for a replacement for you, Reno. We need more personnel, surely you can agree with that.”</p>
<p>                “Guess you can’t have us everywhere at once,” Reno conceded. He sipped his coffee before leaning forward in his chair. “How many made the cut?”</p>
<p>                “Five,” Rude said. The irritation was made clear in their bond and the Alpha shrugged. “Reno, don’t blame me for not informing you of everything going on here. You had enough to deal with.”</p>
<p>                What was that? Oh, he could be <em>calmed</em> at any time when Rude wanted to? Reno was still irritated, though now it wasn’t just because he was kept out of the loop. He supposed he had to concede that he’d agreed to the bond to keep him from sliding back into bad habits. Rude would always remind him why he’d chosen the path he did.</p>
<p>                Eventually, he sighed, suddenly understanding some of Cloud and Zack’s behaviours. They were constantly having silent conversations purely with emotions. “I take it the next step is to bring them into the fold?” he asked.</p>
<p>                “It was to be Rude only, but I think both of you would do well on this task. Elena is in the field today, but this is the reason we need more people on board.” Tseng pushed a stack of five folders towards Reno. “Do be aware that one is a female Alpha. She had an impressive amount of qualifications.”</p>
<p>                Steel blue eyes slowly went up to peer at Tseng. “If I find out you chose her because you thought we’d hit it off, I’m not sure we’re friends anymore, boss.” Reno needed to make it clear that, just because he’d taken a mark didn’t mean he was a pushover.</p>
<p>                Rolling his eyes, Tseng stared back with a deadpan look. “Why would I want to interfere with you that much? She has the skills we’re looking for, nothing more than that. I wanted to warn you, not because I feel you can’t handle the challenge, but because I’m more than aware how volatile these situations can become.”</p>
<p>                No shit. Female Alphas were the exact opposite of male Omegas. Both were an anomaly in the Alpha and Omega gene pool and both were incredibly aware of this fact. However, where male Omegas became guarded and wary due to being viewed as weak and less desirable, female Alphas were confident and strong, able to go toe-to-toe with any male Alpha. Sometimes they preferred male Omegas because they were easy to persuade, which was likely why Tseng was now wary of sending him in without fair warning.</p>
<p>                “I’m obviously marked, doubt she’ll even take a sniff in my direction.” Reno waved a hand as he gathered up the files, tucking them under an arm as he got up. “We’ll handle it like we always do. Bitchy Alpha or not, she’ll have to get used to working under me sooner or later.”</p>
<p>                A touch of pride resonated in him and Reno glanced over to Rude who didn’t even make a motion he’d done anything. How the hell did he master this emotional shit already? Reno made a mental note to ask his lover what he constantly felt from him later. Being far less emotionally disciplined, he was sure that it wasn’t fun.</p>
<p>                Rude carefully took the files, flipping through the one that likely belonged to the woman they’d soon be working with. Reno felt the possessiveness before it even showed on the Alpha’s face. “Apparently unattached.”</p>
<p>                “Calm down and fucking trust me, would you? Not that you being possessive isn’t a turn-on, now’s not the time to shove that knot in.” Reno chuckled as he felt the reluctant agreement. “You know I’m yours and that’s not changing.”</p>
<p>                Though, he had a feeling that Rude wouldn’t feel completely satisfied until he’d planted a baby in his Omega. Not that Reno was complaining, but damn did he need some time to settle down. Despite everything, his mind was in complete disarray as he kept up his outward persona while trying to be accessible to Rude. One day was not enough to settle into it.</p>
<p>                Entering the meeting room, Rude nodded to the five new Turks sitting at the table while Reno simply walked to one chair and sat in it. He could feel the tension immediately but he ignored it. Coffee was more interesting than an Alpha’s bruised ego.</p>
<p>                “No one told me that we’d be working with an Omega.” The voice was harsh and hard, belonging to one Freya Hunter. Reno didn’t need a bond to tell she was pissed, the derisive snort made it obvious. “I thought only Rude would be here.”</p>
<p>                Rolling his eyes, Reno set his coffee down. “Get used to it and stop bitching. I’m Reno, Tseng’s second in command so that makes every last one of you rookies beneath me.” He smirked in Freya’s direction. “If you’re going to be a Turk, you’re going to deal with distractions on the job. If you can’t even handle me, I’m going to start wondering what the boss saw in you.”</p>
<p>                Her emerald eyes widened in surprise before they narrowed in curiosity. Reno could feel her picking him apart, but when she saw the mark, she chuckled then shrugged. At least she understood boundaries.</p>
<p>                “Reno is right. The area we need you for will have all manner of distractions,” Rude said, still flipping through files. “All of you know that Sector Six refugees have decided to rebuild the so-named Wall Market here, yes?”</p>
<p>                As all of them nodded, the long process of catching them up to speed began. Through it all, Reno was acutely aware that Freya was still mildly interested in him. They kept everything to business, but he hoped she wouldn’t get too friendly after work. The last thing he needed was some damned Alpha dick swinging matches or whatever they did to sort that shit out.</p>
<p>                It was his first full day back at work and Reno was glad for it. Having something he considered “normal” to ground him helped his mind to stop spinning. It let him process that he and Rude still worked well together on the job despite what they’d done. Which also meant Cloud had been right which was a mild piss off, but he couldn’t exactly be angry for it. What Cloud had done had allowed him to get this far.</p>
<p>                Dismissing the new recruits, Rude and Reno got up to leave as well. As he expected, Freya tapped the Omega on the shoulder.</p>
<p>                “Sir, I’d like to apologize for my outburst,” she said, nodding her head. “You can understand why – “</p>
<p>                “You’d be insulted? Yeah,” Reno finished for her, rolling his eyes. “Whatever, just don’t fucking underestimate me. I’ve been with the Turks for years now and I don’t take a whole lot of shit from anyone.”</p>
<p>                Freya blinked, pressing her lips together as she ran her hand through messy brown hair. “I’d heard male Omegas were tough, but I sure didn’t expect this.”</p>
<p>                To Reno’s surprise, Rude laughed at that. “First time meeting a male Omega?”</p>
<p>                She nodded, giving the Omega a look. “And you two have worked together for how long?”</p>
<p>                “Several years,” Rude answered with a shrug. “You learn to separate what a person is from the person that they are. If you can’t do that, we can’t trust you to work with us.”</p>
<p>                It was Reno’s turn to feel pride and it was easy to cover it all up with a smirk. “I get it, you’re the big, bad Alpha female that also doesn’t take shit. Sometimes you’ve got to swallow a bit of pride even if you choke on it going down.”</p>
<p>                Pushing up his glasses, Rude nodded. “Harsh but true. We both trust that you can get used to taking orders from one normally beneath you,” he said. “When you go out in the field, you may be alone with him. His orders are as good as Tseng’s, you understand that?”</p>
<p>                Keeping silent for a moment, Freya finally laughed gently, reaching up to put a hand on one of her shoulders. “I don’t think I’ve ever been this thoroughly chastised for questioning an Omega,” she muttered. She turned to Reno. “Your word’s my law, I get it. Congratulations on your new bond, by the way.”</p>
<p>                With those parting words, she left and Reno let out a gusty sigh. “Fuck me,” he grumbled.</p>
<p>                “Love to, but there’s security cameras.”</p>
<p>                The frank admission broke through Reno’s stress and he laughed lightly. “Then why don’t we go somewhere private for a bit?”</p>
<p>                As they walked back to the office to drop off the personnel files and to say farewell to Tseng and Zack, the two silently shared their feelings on the whole ordeal. Reno was stressed and Rude was mildly irritated, but that was nothing they couldn’t fix together.</p>
<p>                “First time meeting a female Alpha?” Rude asked as they walked to Reno’s apartment.</p>
<p>                Reno grunted and shook his head. “Nope. Met one pushy one when I was a kid. Would’ve been fine if she didn’t want to claim every goddamn Omega in the school.” He chuckled, running a hand through his hair. “Not about to be someone’s sloppy seconds.”</p>
<p>                Amusement touched their bond and Rude smirked. “Rest assured, you are my first and only Omega,” he said, answering an unasked question. “I don’t need or want a large clan unless it’s made up of the children my Omega has.”</p>
<p>                “You don’t need to butter me up to get in my pants,” Reno joked. Still, there was a warmth he felt from hearing the words. <em>This</em> was why he had agreed to bonding so quickly. Rude would never have to ask him how he really felt and he could keep it between them. “Let’s just go easy on how many brats I push out.”</p>
<p>                Rude only laughed softly at that. It was a discussion they could have another time, though it wouldn’t be a long way off. Reno knew the clock was ticking on his desires, he only had to ask himself when it’d become too much to take. There was a lot less panic associated with that thought this time and damn was he glad for that.</p>
<p>                His life was finally on track in the most unexpected way.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Unexpected Find</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Let's pick up the pace ever so slightly. Rough waters ahead for our red-headed Turk.</p>
<p>Thank you all for reading. Writing is satisfying, but it's rewarding with readers like all of you. 💕</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                Yawning and stretching, Reno sauntered up to the line of waiting Turks with Rude following behind. They weren’t late which was a shock considering how long they’d stayed up the night before. He was going to get used to sleeping with Rude and it certainly did improve his daily demeanour. Any changes he felt were positive and made him feel rather stupid for worrying so much about it before.</p>
<p>                “Good morning, ladies and gents,” Reno greeted as he twirled his stun baton.</p>
<p>                Tseng turned and Elena waved before turning to get coffee for the two. “Oh, wow. I couldn’t believe it when the boss told me you got tattooed,” Elena said, looking brightly at the mark. “You two always work so well together, I’m happy for you.”</p>
<p>                Usually, Reno wasn’t much for Elena’s overly-bright nature, but her sincerity made him grin. He took the coffee and shrugged with a shoulder. “Thanks. Guess you’re here to help take on one of the newbies?”</p>
<p>                She nodded and turned as Tseng approached. “I have to admit that, after the turmoil of the past few months, it feels good to have us working together properly again.” Apparently, everyone had eaten sunshine for breakfast today. “It’s impossible to have an even split so I will take two of the newcomers with me.”</p>
<p>                The other five came in closer, all of them eager-eyed and ready to impress. The Turks had never been a true force, but they were efficient. Of all the changes the Turks had gone through, this one felt right. After all, with how he felt lately, they’d need more help sooner rather than later.</p>
<p>                “All of you have your missions and sections. Pair off and we will meet together again here later today. Remember, if you find anything urgent, report to Zack.” Tseng nodded, dismissing them all.</p>
<p>                Rude had been paired off with someone other than Reno today. It’d been a reckoning that had taken Reno to settle the Alpha down without even saying a word. It was the reason they’d stayed up so late, Rude using his Omega to burn off steam and ensure he was properly claimed. He could get used to this possessive side, it made him feel good to be desired.</p>
<p>                As Freya stepped up beside Reno, he felt the same feeling in his bond. With a gentle sigh, he reminded Rude that there was nothing to worry about. Judging by the grunt he heard, he supposed that he’d made the tattoo burn with the force of his emotions. There was no question in his mind who he wanted for the rest of his life and Rude was going to deal with reminders of it every single day.</p>
<p>                A gentle laugh beside him knocked him out of his thoughts. Freya was smiling gently, a stark contrast to the rough female Alphas Reno was used to. “I’m sorry, I can tell your Alpha wasn’t exactly pleased that I’m with you today.”</p>
<p>                “Ah, Rude knows whose bed I belong in,” Reno said, waving a hand. “It’s new for both of us and he’s waited for so long. He’d probably still get pissed off if I walked with a Beta.”</p>
<p>                “I could only dream to have such a thing for myself. So much competition in the city lately,” Freya sighed softly. “Probably hard to think about a job like this with a family, though. Zack has an Omega and a son at home. I can tell he’s always eager to get back to them.”</p>
<p>                Reno had definitely misjudged her, jumped into a defensive mode before Freya could even speak. It was an old habit that Rude had allowed because he wanted everyone to know his claim was already made. Not that Reno was about to drop every last defense he had, but a few of them wouldn’t hurt.</p>
<p>                He shrugged, emptying his cup of coffee and tossing it in the nearest waste bin. “They’re saps, the both of them. Sigil’s of a wolf but they’re more like cute puppies.”</p>
<p>                Freya let out a sharp laugh. “Oh, please. Cloud Strife and Zack Fair are hardly ‘cute puppies’ and you know it. With everything they’ve been through, they’ve earned some peace and quiet,” she said, giving Reno a side glance. “If you threatened any of them, I could guarantee you’d find yourself with teeth at your neck.”</p>
<p>                Good, she’d done her research. Neither of the two would be enthusiastic to know that there were more people out there who knew their histories. After what had happened months ago, he only had a taste of the shit that followed them. Keeping it close ensured their safety.</p>
<p>                “You got me there. Cloud’s been so laid-back lately I forget he’s tough as nails until he aims it at me.” Like he had when trying to crack through his barriers. It went from a knock to a slicing sword once he found the weakness. He owed him.</p>
<p>                The two crossed into New Wall Market. Go figure that they’d been assigned the most troublesome beat of the group. The place had calmed down some since the Shinra uprising had shipped out, but now the scum was moving in to take their place.</p>
<p>                Losing her kindly manner, Freya looked around with cutting emerald eyes. “I went to Wall Market in Midgar once. It was with a few friends and they wanted to celebrate my birthday. One thing I learned was that they liked their narrow alleyways. If you went down the wrong one, you’d find some of the worst things imaginable.”</p>
<p>                Reno made a soft noise, wondering idly what she was getting at. Shinra tried to bury Wall Market and use it when they saw fit. The ones in charge weren’t always the most helpful and were slippery like fish.</p>
<p>                Something about her story bothered him. “Like what?”</p>
<p>                She stopped and so did Reno, following her gaze to a chocobo-drawn carriage. “Things like that.”</p>
<p>                A couple of strong looking men left the carriage, pulling out two unconscious bodies from the back of it. They didn’t even bother to look around to see who was watching them. From how they moved, they were confident that no one cared, and it seemed like they were right. The thing that bothered him made alarm bells go off in his head.</p>
<p>                Making a motion for Freya to follow him, Reno slowly made his way to shadow the two. Just like the Alpha had said, they went down a narrow passage which opened up to a small clearing with an entrance to a warehouse of sorts.</p>
<p>                A soft growl made him look over at his companion. “Settle the fuck down, you’ll blow our cover,” he whispered. “Make yourself useful and grab some pictures.”</p>
<p>                It wasn’t that he blamed her for her reaction. As an Alpha, Freya was probably reacting to the scents around the place. Even as an Omega, Reno could sense everything and it made his skin crawl. He’d never been in an area that made him feel like he needed to kneel in subjugation before. Despite Rude’s dominant nature, at least he gave Reno room to breathe.</p>
<p>                They ducked inside of the open door, hiding behind boxes in the shadows. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust but, when they did, he almost wished they hadn’t.</p>
<p>                Cages, the place was lined with cages. Most of them were empty, but there was still this energy about the whole area that suggested it was a temporary situation. He heard the soft clicks of pictures being taken, seeing the two they’d followed throwing their charges into their own cages. One Omega, one Beta, both clearly knocked out for easy transport.</p>
<p>                Finally, he couldn’t take any more. Making a quick motion, the two made their way out of the warehouse and back to the main street. Reno took in a breath of air, bending over and bracing himself on his knees.</p>
<p>                “Slave trade,” Freya said, her voice thick. “It was rampant in Wall Market in Midgar. They got away with it because Shinra didn’t care and neither did anyone else.”</p>
<p>                Reno nodded before standing up straight with another deep breath. “Well, we do so let’s go.”</p>
<p>                The two hurried through the growing morning crowds, an urgency in their steps. It wasn’t just that they’d uncovered something that couldn’t be allowed to continue, it was something else entirely. Whatever was around that area had affected them both in different ways. Reno was always willing to take on whatever came his way, but that warehouse was not one of them.</p>
<p>                “Hand in that camera then meet me in the office. I’ll ring up the boss later,” Reno said as they got to the security building.</p>
<p>                Without a word, Freya went to do just that while Reno made his way to the office. He came in – well, practically burst in – which shocked Zack from his morning preparations. His reaction was instant and he got up, going to put his hands upon Reno’s shoulders.</p>
<p>                “Whoa, slow down,” Zack said, looking at the Turk with concern.</p>
<p>                Zack wasn’t the Alpha he needed, but he was at least grateful for the steadying hands. He allowed himself to be guided to a seat, finally relaxing slightly. “Freya’s coming, we’ll fill you in,” Reno said, looking up to Zack as the other man sat down.</p>
<p>                It didn’t take long for Freya to come into the office as well. She simply sat down in the chair next to Reno, every bit as agitated as Reno was panicked. “Pheromones. They’re using pheromones.”</p>
<p>                Of course. Strong Alpha pheromones would cow any Omega, male or female. They’d also agitate any Alpha as they felt the need to protect their territory. It meant that the ones who ran it were likely Betas. Even with the explanation, it didn’t stop either of them from the reaction they’d had. It took a few more deep breaths before Reno could compose himself just enough to talk.</p>
<p>                “They’re running a slave market in New Wall Market,” he said. “Looked almost empty, but I’m betting it won’t be that way for long.”</p>
<p>                A sharp snap filled the air, making both Freya and Reno jump. Zack let out a heated breath as he dropped his broken pencil. As if Reno needed more Alpha displays right now, but that was definitely the most Alpha he’d seen in Zack Fair. There wasn’t even an apology as Zack leaned forward in his seat.</p>
<p>                “How the hell did this happen?” he asked. After a moment, he looked between Freya and Reno, sobering slightly. “I’m guessing the comment on pheromones was where you found them. You both look like hell.”</p>
<p>                Freya let out a soft growl, casting a furtive glance to Reno. “Requesting permission to go home for the day, sir.” Her voice was tightly controlled. “I am aware I should report to Tseng, but I don’t think it’s wise for me to stay out for longer than necessary right now.”</p>
<p>                Zack nodded to her and she didn’t even hesitate to leave. Mako-blue eyes turned to Reno next, making him jump. “Reno, you should go, too. I’ll take care of Tseng and try to persuade him to let Rude off for the day.”</p>
<p>                Though he wasn’t exactly opposed to the idea, Reno shook his head. “Not that weak,” he muttered. “Freya turned in a roll of pictures for development. Shouldn’t take too long.”</p>
<p>                “Go home, Reno,” Zack insisted.</p>
<p>                Something was definitely not right considering even that bit of concern felt like an order. Reno nodded, murmuring his thanks to Zack as he made his way back to his apartment on autopilot. Once he entered, he closed the door and locked it, leaning against the door and sliding downward.</p>
<p>                It was most definitely the first time he’d ever felt like the Omega he was. Everything was stripped from him, leaving him raw and shaking. He’d always joked that Rude was dominating but he clearly didn’t even know the very definition of the word. Rude was downright tame compared to what Reno had experienced in that warehouse.</p>
<p>                Pulling up his legs, Reno propped his elbows up on his knees and folded his hands. He rested his head on his hands, staring in front of him as he tried to process everything.</p>
<p>                He had no idea how long he sat there before a knock at his door made him scramble away from it. Even staring into the void hadn’t settled him down. He picked himself up, not bothering to smooth out his clothes as he opened the door.</p>
<p>                Rude stood there, taking off his sunglasses without even prompting. The bond made the concern clear, but it was different seeing it reflected on the Alpha’s face. Reno pulled himself together enough to tug Rude into the apartment, shutting the door and locking it quickly. Leaning against the door again, he shook his head.</p>
<p>                “Never felt like this before.” And he hated it with every bone in his body. Nothing was listening to him despite knowing that he wasn’t near the Alpha that had given off those pheromones.</p>
<p>                Taking initiative, Rude came close and put a hand under Reno’s chin. “Powerful Alphas give off strong pheromones to keep their Omegas under their heel. It’ll pass.”</p>
<p>                Just that small touch was enough to stop Reno from wanting to run away. Under any other conditions, he would feel embarrassed, but Rude had essentially given him permission to be weak. Granted, he was sure that Rude would never consider him weak no matter what.</p>
<p>                Making a gentle noise, Reno managed to straighten himself a little. “Not a good look, huh?” he asked, laughing shakily.</p>
<p>                “For a Turk? No.” Before Reno could react, Rude smiled lightly. “It doesn’t matter to me. You’re allowed to be who and what you are around me, Reno. You should know that by now.”</p>
<p>                Sure, he did, but he liked hearing it. Their relationship was still new despite having essentially been courting for years. Reno reached up to run his hands down his face with a groan, feeling some form of his reality coming back to him. Though he’d told Zack not to pull Rude off of work detail, he’d gone and done it anyway. Now he owed Zack as well as Cloud.</p>
<p>                A gentle hand on his shoulder made Reno look over, letting Rude guide him to his bedroom. Sitting on the edge of his bed, Reno kicked off his shoes and then reached up to let his hair free. It spread out across his back and he heard the rough growl from Rude when he saw it. He didn’t normally untie his hair, so the reaction from his Alpha wasn’t entirely unexpected.</p>
<p>                “After all this time, I had no idea how much you kept me from going to extremes. Didn’t stop me from swerving close to them, but you were always there like a damn shadow.” Reno chuckled, looking up at Rude. “Thanks. Just sorry it took being pushed down to nothing to say it.”</p>
<p>                “Be thankful that you realized what you had sooner rather than later.” Rude sat down beside the Omega, reaching over to run his fingers through the fire-red hair at Reno’s back. “Is there anything you want from me?”</p>
<p>                Not really berating, just reminding Reno that he’d prevented regrets and to be thankful for it. He reached up to unbutton his jacket and shirt, slipping them off and shivering as Rude’s fingers continued threading through his hair. Though they’d spent so much time enjoying one another’s company the night before, he found he couldn’t get enough.</p>
<p>                Taking in a soft breath, he looked over and pressed his lips to Rude’s. He liked letting his actions speak for him since he didn’t trust his words at the moment. Words were never his strong point, even if Rude probably liked being asked to fuck his Omega into the bed. He couldn’t bring himself to ask for it at the moment because he knew it would come out entirely wrong. His instincts were asking for rough domination, what Reno really <em>needed</em> was for Rude to help him find his centre again.</p>
<p>                Eventually, he pulled out of the kiss, leaning back on the bed and getting more comfortable as he stretched out. He watched as Rude started undressing, smirking a little as he realized the Alpha couldn’t get out of his clothes fast enough. Just like always, Rude was ready and willing to do what was needed to help. Perhaps that made him a weak Alpha to some, but Reno knew the truth. Rude was strong when he needed to be.</p>
<p>                Soon enough, Rude was between Reno’s still-clothed legs. “You could have taken these off yourself, at least,” he muttered, starting to work at Reno’s belt.</p>
<p>                “And deprive you of unwrapping me yourself?” Reno laughed gently, feeling a smile tugging at his lips. When Rude paused, the Omega shook his head as he was stared at. “What?”</p>
<p>                Rude reached up and traced his thumb over Reno’s mouth. “I’ve never seen you smile like that before. It looks good on you.”</p>
<p>                Chalking it up to a side effect of the pheromones, Reno indulged his lover by smiling wider. It was likely to be the one and only time he would ever allow himself to be this vulnerable. This feeling was preferable to the way he’d felt when Rude had found him.</p>
<p>                He lifted his hips as he felt Rude tug at his pants, arms going around the Alpha when he slid up Reno’s body again. No doubt Rude likely knew that Reno needed something and was counting on the Omega to guide him to what it was. Putting his hands on Rude’s chest, Reno got his lover to let him roll over so he was face down on the bed.</p>
<p>                Looking over his shoulder, Reno laughed as he felt the eagerness in their bond. “Bet you thought it was going to be all sappy and romantic,” he teased. “I need you to make me scream.”</p>
<p>                Yeah, it came out entirely wrong. So much for inhibitions, but he was downright aching for it. At least it was different from his heat so he was confident <em>that</em> hadn’t changed. He could still think for more than a second.</p>
<p>                He arched his back with a grunt as Rude slammed into him, not stopping for a second to let him get used to it. Hands were at Reno’s hips, pulling him hard into each thrust. Reno was getting better at letting himself be vocal, though he hadn’t quite mastered losing complete control.</p>
<p>                The first orgasm made him cry out as it took him by surprise. Shit, he knew he was horny, but it seemed like Rude was going to get a record out of him at this rate. It wasn’t a scream by any means, but it was definitely not something he’d done before. He gladly lowered his front end, folding his arms as he let Rude do as he pleased.</p>
<p>                It didn’t take long for him to hit another orgasm, his toes splaying out as Rude kept thrusting into him. Then he felt the Alpha just push into him, hands going to Reno’s shoulders to push him down harder. “Oh, <em>fuck</em> yes,” Reno hissed, pressing back so he could feel the knot he wanted so badly.</p>
<p>                Shifting on the bed, Rude’s fingertips dug into Reno’s shoulders as he thrust harder than before. And here he’d thought that it’d be painful, but this? This was absolutely exquisite. Once again, giving into his instincts paid off as he found himself riding out orgasm after orgasm. All he could feel was pleasure and the burn at his bond.</p>
<p>                This was the best way to lose track of time and to ignore the world. All too soon, arms slipped around him, a power hold that Rude used to get even deeper. Now Reno <em>did</em> start getting loud, letting out the scream he’d asked for as the thick knot entered him. He was getting used to the feeling of being filled, gritting his teeth with a whine as he enjoyed the sensation.</p>
<p>                Reno groaned, finally relaxing on the bed as he breathed heavily. He let out a soft grunt as Rude lay on top of him, making the Omega shift to prevent so much pressure on his stomach. It was Rude who reached down to trace his fingers over it, making Reno smile lightly.</p>
<p>                “Eventually,” he murmured. Reaching up with one hand, he brushed his fingers over where Rude’s tattoo was. “Let me enjoy this for a bit longer.”</p>
<p>                Humming, Rude kissed up his Omega’s neck to nip gently at an earlobe. “Feeling better?”</p>
<p>                “Mm hmm.”</p>
<p>                He was content with snuggling with his lover, feeling much more like himself now. It was a good thing considering one of their phones went off. Neither jumped but both made noises of irritation, knowing that they had no other choice but to answer it.</p>
<p>                Rude rolled over, seeking the phone out from what limited movement he could make. “Fuck, careful with that,” Reno muttered, feeling the tug at the tie.</p>
<p>                They eventually rolled back over to the way they were, a phone being dropped in front of Reno’s face. Of course, Tseng just had to call him. Scowling deeply at the offending piece of technology, he flipped it open and answered it.</p>
<p>                “This had better be good, boss,” he bit out.</p>
<p>                “You sound fine to me,” Tseng said. “Zack told me what he could understand from what you and Freya told him.”</p>
<p>                Clearly, Rude was in the same mindset as Reno felt kisses dotting the heated skin of his shoulders. “You only get one guess why I sound fine. I sure as hell wasn’t when Zack sent me back home.”</p>
<p>                Tseng sighed. “That would explain why Freya won’t answer her phone.”</p>
<p>                Laughing gently, Reno pulled the phone away from his ear to nuzzle at Rude for a moment. “Boss, if you want to talk, you’ll have to wait. Kind of…all tied up at the moment.”</p>
<p>                It took a moment for the joke to land, but there was a great payoff as Tseng cleared his throat. Reno could practically taste the embarrassment and it was hard not to laugh, though Rude chuckled. “Right. I expect a full report tomorrow. Try not to make a habit of this.”</p>
<p>                Reno rolled his eyes. “Not exactly my fault, but I’ll tell you tomorrow. Just sit tight until then,” he grumbled as he hung up the phone, lightly tossing it to one side.</p>
<p>                He felt his hair being gathered up, successfully distracting him from the phone call. “What, you don’t like it down?”</p>
<p>                “You should let it down more often.”</p>
<p>                Once his hair was out of the way, Reno felt lips and teeth at the back of his neck, making the reason for pushing it out of the way apparent. He grinned, humming gently. “Maybe I will.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Preparations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Better to be prepared than not at all, right? Bit of world building and establishment of some stuff. You should know how I write by now.</p>
<p>Thank you all again for reading, leaving kudos, comments, and everything else! 💕</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                Both Reno and Rude were far more focused as they wandered into work the next day. It at least felt nice to feel like himself again and Reno was glad not too many gave him weird looks.</p>
<p>                He entered the office and could only grin at Tseng who pointedly rolled his eyes. “You should know better,” Reno said, sitting down with a satisfied smirk. “Have to get used to that sort of thing now. Shit moves fast.”</p>
<p>                “Moving on,” Tseng growled. He folded his hands in front of him, giving the other Turk a nod. “What happened yesterday?”</p>
<p>                “Freya and I uncovered a slave trade market in New Wall Market. We saw them taking a couple of bound people into a warehouse so we followed them.” Reno furrowed his brow at the memory. “Big fucking mistake. They’re using pheromones to keep the Omegas they get in check. It messed with me in a way I’ve never felt before.”</p>
<p>                Informed now, Tseng hummed and tapped the pictures that were in front of him. “I see, my apologies.” He looked over to Zack who was listening in, his arms folded behind his head as he leaned back in his chair. “Ensure there are no Alphas or Omegas on the team we send in.”</p>
<p>                “Way ahead of you. I wouldn’t even go near the place,” Zack said.</p>
<p>                “What’s the plan?” Rude asked, tipping his head to one side. “If we go after them now, we might shut that warehouse down but not who truly runs it.”</p>
<p>                Reno nodded in agreement, shifting a leg to prop it up on Tseng’s desk. “Something bothers me about it. They can’t just be drowning the place in pheromones.” He tapped his knee as he thought, reaching up with his other hand to rub at a temple. “Never met an Alpha that could give off that kind of thing, but it’s possible, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>                “Are you suggesting that there was an Alpha there?” Zack asked. He furrowed his brow, looking troubled. “Yeah, it’s possible. Usually they do something to get that under control because those Alphas are volatile.”</p>
<p>                Even Rude agreed with that and Reno could feel the worry from it. “This will be difficult. Alphas are best to deal with this, but I think I speak for most Alphas when I say I can’t. Not only are these Alphas volatile, they’re strong and can cause others to go into a mindless rage.”</p>
<p>                “Before you ask, Freya is fine. She’s here today though is filling out some paperwork instead of being out in the field,” Tseng said, noticing that Reno was going to speak up. “Our next step is to find someone who can advise us on the situation. I despise leaving them to their own devices as much as you do, but I will not have more lives jeopardized by being uninformed.”</p>
<p>                “Hey, I agree, boss. We won’t do any good if we don’t have a game plan.” Reno saw Tseng’s surprised look and he shrugged. “Question is, anyone know where to find a good expert on pumped up Alphas?”</p>
<p>                None of them answered and it was obvious that they were all in the dark on this one. Tseng was the only Beta in the room so he would never know what the Alphas and Omega feared. Reno in particular had no desire to feel like that ever again even if it led to some fantastic sex. They always had the option to go at it like that on their own without having the interference.</p>
<p>                “Let’s start at the school. A teacher should have some information or know where we could go to find it,” Rude offered.</p>
<p>                Tseng nodded once. “A good idea. I’ll leave that to you and Reno, then. Report back when you have any information.”</p>
<p>                The two got up and made their way to one of the two schools in Kalm. Reno hadn’t been in a school for some time and it seemed different to him. As a child, he’d not exactly disliked school, but he’d been targeted once his classmates found out he was an Omega. One of only two in the class at the time, he endured endless jabs at what he was until the end of his schooling. Being grown up and wanting a child of his own now, he did manage a smile at the children who turned to look as they entered the school.</p>
<p>                “Good morning, what brings you here?” the principal asked as she welcomed the Turks.</p>
<p>                “You have Alpha classes taught here, right?” Reno asked. “We need to borrow your teacher for a little because we’ve got some questions.”</p>
<p>                When the principal hesitated, Rude pushed up his glasses. “They’re not in trouble. This is about an important matter we need an expert on.”</p>
<p>                That placated the older woman who nodded. “Of course. If you would sit in the office over there, I’ll send Mr. Arbour in to speak with you,” she said, opening the door to the nearest office.</p>
<p>                Reno flopped into an armchair, looking around at the office. “Feels weird, doesn’t it?”</p>
<p>                “I didn’t get into trouble like you did,” Rude said, smirking lightly.</p>
<p>                “What? No, I mean being around kids like this when we know we’re going to have one eventually.” It was actually the first time he’d mentioned it around Rude, reminding him of how his body’s clock was ticking. “Let’s just hope they don’t take after me.”</p>
<p>                Rude lifted his glasses, smirking slightly. “I don’t see a problem if they do.”</p>
<p>                Reno supposed that his lover had shown his eyes to let the Omega know he was aware of what was coming. It was hard to forget for Reno as he felt it every time they had sex. It’d only been three days, but his desire had only grown since their bond.</p>
<p>                A knock on the door made Rude and Reno look up. The teacher made a noise, tilting his head. “This <em>is</em> unusual. What would the Turks want with a teacher?”</p>
<p>                Oh, it was rare to be identified on sight these days. “We’ve come across one of those pumped up Alphas and we need some advice on how to deal with him.”</p>
<p>                Mr. Arbour nodded, closing the door behind him as he went to sit down in a chair across from the Turks. “They’re rare but dangerous. To know that there’s one in Kalm is surprising, unless he came from somewhere else.”</p>
<p>                “Why would you say that?” Rude asked.</p>
<p>                “These kinds of Alphas tend to come from places that have less Alphas around. As a way to expand the gene pool, they become more powerful to attract Omegas.”</p>
<p>                Reno made a face, making a noise in his throat. “Can’t say that I was really attracted to it myself.”</p>
<p>                The teacher chuckled softly, shrugging a shoulder. “Well, you wouldn’t be. I’m sure you’re well aware that male Omegas are an anomaly, thus the more powerful pheromones aren’t tailored to a male Omega’s physiology. I’m sure you felt more like panic and a nervous sort of energy.”</p>
<p>                He nodded reluctantly. “Is there any way to take him down a notch or two?”</p>
<p>                “Of course. There are rare times when one appears in a place full of Alphas which, as you can imagine, is hardly ideal. I doubt you would be able to get him to take pills, but there are injections available at pharmacies to help settle the abundance of what makes an Alpha an Alpha.”</p>
<p>                “Guess we’d need a prescription for that,” Rude said.</p>
<p>                “Naturally, but I’m sure you have ways around that. Speak to a doctor, I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to give it to you.” Mr. Arbour pressed his lips together briefly. “No one would want to have such an Alpha loose in Kalm. They have voracious sexual appetites and could easily subjugate the majority of Omegas in the city while chasing off other Alphas.”</p>
<p>                Rude stood up, making Reno scramble to do the same. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Arbour. You’ve been more than helpful,” Rude said, holding out a hand which the teacher took before leaving the office.</p>
<p>                They left the school, Reno giving his Alpha a side glance. “You’re uneasy and it’s making <em>me</em> uneasy,” he muttered.</p>
<p>                “Are you certain no one saw you or Freya at the warehouse?” Reno asked. He clearly felt the irritation from the implication that they’d been sloppy to get away. “Neither of you were in control of yourselves so it’s reasonable to be worried you were seen.”</p>
<p>                Saying nothing, Reno had to concede that his lover was right. “I doubt it, but I’ll be on my guard.” He paused, smirking gently. “Besides, I have my shadow with me today.”</p>
<p>                Reno was mildly impressed with himself for helping to break through Rude’s mood. He let the Alpha do the talking to the doctor, taking the prescription they were offered. Once they’d collected it, they made their way back to the security building, entering the office to find Tseng and Zack finishing lunch.</p>
<p>                “We should’ve grabbed something on the way back,” Reno groused. He tossed the five boxes of injections on Tseng’s desk before reaching in to steal a bit of the other man’s food. Sitting down in his chair, he gestured to the boxes. “Turns out this guy came from somewhere else.”</p>
<p>                “Or flew under the radar for a long time. These Alphas are made to take over an entire area for themselves,” Rude said, the uneasiness creeping back into him. “It may not be a trade at all, simply collecting those that catch the Alpha’s eye.”</p>
<p>                Now it was Reno’s turn to feel uneasy. Rude had likely been thinking about it since their talk with the teacher which was why he was worried about Reno being seen. If it wasn’t about selling, it was about feeding that Alpha’s appetite with whatever he could get his hands on. He doubted the Alpha would want a male Omega, though.</p>
<p>                “So, how are we going to stick him with one of those?” Zack asked. “We don’t even know who he is.”</p>
<p>                Tseng picked up one of the boxes, turning it over in his hands. “That is why we need more information. Fortunately for us, we have four new Turks to do the job.” He looked up giving Reno and Rude an apologetic smile. “You understand, I’m sure.”</p>
<p>                “You couldn’t pay me enough to go back there,” Reno said. “Normally I’d want a rematch, but I’ll leave it to people who aren’t going to freak out.”</p>
<p>                Both Zack and Tseng looked at Reno with mild shock. He knew why, of course. This wasn’t like him at all to admit defeat so easily, but even he had to admit it’d be stupid to try going there again. He’d be stuck in a cage and likely thrown to whatever feral dogs the guy owned rather than used like most Omegas were.</p>
<p>                “Will you stop making me feel like I’m growing a second head?” he griped, shooting glares at the two men. “I get it, I’ve been fucking weird lately and it’s not going to get any better. Trust me, if you knew what that guy did to me, you wouldn’t want to get close again either.”</p>
<p>                It was Zack who sighed then nodded. “It’s true, Tseng. I sent him home for a reason. I’ve never once seen any Omega act that way, let alone a male Omega.”</p>
<p>                Rude hummed softly. “It was as if he was stripped of everything he is, Tseng. Weakness is not in Reno’s vocabulary or his very being, we all know this. Yesterday, that changed for a few hours and that was with only minimal contact.”</p>
<p>                Closing his eyes, Reno sank deep into the chair. “If this fucker is real and roaming around, if that was what he did to me, imagine what he’d do to other Omegas.” Steel blue eyes slid over to Zack. “Like Cloud or Tifa. There’re countless others in the city all of them ready to be chewed up and spit out by this guy. Omegas don’t stand a chance at all against what he gives off.”</p>
<p>                Finally, it seemed like they understood what he was saying. If <em>he</em> was calling it quits, there was a serious threat. To him, it didn’t even matter what it looked or sounded like. After the day before, he was more than willing to let them think he was a coward than to go through it again. The honesty shit was definitely getting old, but it was useful at times.</p>
<p>                “Then we’ll have to do this carefully. Tseng, you get your guys on it and get us as much information as you can. Rude, Reno, and Freya need to give New Wall Market a wide berth for now,” Zack said, his voice giving no room to argue. “If this means they’re out for a while, give them some paperwork to do or send them to another section of the city. No damn heroics.”</p>
<p>                All three of the Turks looked at each other before nodding to Zack. Things felt a lot more dangerous than they had when the Shinra uprising was the only thing on their plate. No wonder Cloud was basking in domestic bliss while he could.</p>
<p>                It seemed that Reno would have to wait a bit longer to find his own.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. No Job's Too Hard</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Trouble's never far behind for the Turks. Unsavoury content ahead, but the tags warned for this already.</p>
<p>Thank you all for reading! ❣️</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                “It’s been nearly two damn weeks and we’re still walking this boring ass place,” Reno complained,</p>
<p>                The trio of Turks had been off their normal duties since the warehouse incident. Freya and Rude took to it better than Reno who now felt like his wheels were spinning. He kept wavering between being okay with being an Omega and then cursing himself for being a liability. Mostly, he was tired of feeling like there was a big monster waiting around the corner to ambush them.</p>
<p>                “Not that it hasn’t been a bad thing to have a quiet beat, I think I’m going to have to agree,” Freya said, sighing softly. She leaned back in her chair as she finished her drink. “They already took care of the warehouse, didn’t they?”</p>
<p>                Rude nodded. “And found no sign of any Alpha. It’s been long enough to say that we could have jumped the gun on assuming there even was one.”</p>
<p>                For Reno, he still wasn’t sure whether that was true or not. It seemed odd to have something that powerful contained to just the warehouse. The way they’d have to douse the place in artificial pheromones sounded too time consuming for simple slavers. He was open to being wrong, but his gut instinct told him otherwise.</p>
<p>                Reno’s phone rang and he answered it without hesitation. “Tseng.”</p>
<p>                “How’s the patrol going?”</p>
<p>                “Boring, as usual. Come on, boss. You can put us back on regular detail,” Reno insisted. “We were all wrong and we’ve already took out the base of operations.”</p>
<p>                “I concur. I want all three of you to return to the office so we can work out new assignments,” Tseng said.</p>
<p>                Breathing a sigh of relief, Reno nodded to his companions. “On our way. Lucky for you, we just finished lunch. See you in a few.”</p>
<p>                He hopped up, the other two following his lead. “It’s almost like he was listening in,” Freya commented.</p>
<p>                “Or someone complained every morning.” Rude nodded to Reno who merely shrugged in response. “Not that I didn’t agree. The rest of Kalm has been quiet since the Shinra uprising moved on. There’s nothing to see here.”</p>
<p>                “See? Tseng was just trying to keep us busy without throwing us into being paper pushers,” Reno said. “Not that I don’t appreciate not being thrown behind a desk, but this was even worse.”</p>
<p>                A movement distracted all of them, three heads swivelling in the direction of two people who were clearly trying not to be seen. When Freya and Rude looked to him, Reno motioned for the two to follow them. They couldn’t take the chance that there was something to what they were doing. Since they didn’t take out whoever really ran the warehouse, it was expected that they would encounter the cockroaches again.</p>
<p>                Reno winced as he collided with something hard, making him step back. “The hell?” he muttered, looking up and expecting to see a wall.</p>
<p>                Before he could even begin to figure out what was going on, a large hand grasped Reno underneath his chin. “Look at those eyes. No SOLDIER eyes, but they’ve got fire. Too bad you ain’t my type.”</p>
<p>                The man was huge, as big as Barret. Shoulder-length chestnut hair, cutting hazel eyes, and muscles on top of muscles. It seemed that they were wrong that there was no Alpha. Just as before, Reno felt that urge to run except his legs wouldn’t obey him. In fact, absolutely nothing was listening to what his body was telling him to do.</p>
<p>                “Wrap him up before the other two come back. Make sure to drop his phone and weapon.” The Alpha let go of Reno’s chin. “The old divide and conquer. Never fails.”</p>
<p>                They were one step ahead of Reno’s stalled mind and just as he recovered enough to register he was free to go, he felt a pinch at his neck. He had enough time to look over to see someone packing up a syringe before everything faded to black.</p>
<p>                It was a slow awakening to find himself behind the iron bars of a cage. His head ached and he definitely wasn’t over the effects of the Alpha that he’d been so close to. Reno’s body reacted automatically, pushing himself up against the back of the cage as his eyes darted around the room to take it all in.</p>
<p>                Just like the warehouse, probably another one they’d built on the side. This time, he could see that there were others in the cages – a lot of them. Mostly female, a mixture of Omegas and Betas. He was the odd one out in this case, likely one of the few male Omegas they could isolate. Not that it really mattered as every last one of the people in the cages were up the same shit creek without a paddle.</p>
<p>                He closed his eyes, shifting to try and find a comfortable spot. Not easy with the solid floor beneath him. The place was relatively silent, probably on purpose. He doubted anyone wanted to make much noise here. Drawing attention to yourself sounded like a bad plan.</p>
<p>                “Fucking great,” he muttered.</p>
<p>                One hand came up and he put it over the tattoo on his chest. He mentally cursed that the damn thing didn’t come with a homing beacon. It didn’t do any good for Rude to know he was in shit without a way to find him. Like this, it would likely take forever for them to comb New Wall Market and he was in no condition to rescue himself. Yet.</p>
<p>                Unable to do much else, Reno pulled his legs up and stared ahead of him, just as he’d done the first time he’d encountered the Alpha. This time, he didn’t have Rude to bring him back out of it.</p>
<p>                Reno closed his eyes, certain he slept before he heard someone enter the place. He jumped, hitting his head on the ceiling of the cage in the process. Shit, they were small, weren’t they? He rubbed his head with a noise, only stopping when the Alpha appeared at the front of his cage.</p>
<p>                “Never thought I’d have one of the Turks here. Wanted the big guy, but finding out you’re an Omega, well…” He trailed off, grinning in a way that made Reno’s skin crawl. “You’ll make a pretty Gil for me at the next auction.”</p>
<p>                Though his head was muddled, Reno made a face. “Here I thought all these were here for you.”</p>
<p>                “He has a voice!” the Alpha laughed. “I keep some, just the ones that look sturdy enough to handle me. Almost too bad you couldn’t and you turn into a panicked baby when I’m too close.”</p>
<p>                So, they were all right in some capacity. The warehouse they shut down was likely overflow and this one was the main warehouse. If no one came to shut this one down, Reno was going to be the one taking the unseen stage and sold off like a piece of meat.</p>
<p>                “How’d you find me?” Reno asked.</p>
<p>                The Alpha tapped his nose. “I can smell you. Male Omegas don’t work for me, but you’re pretty. Too bad about the mark you’ve got, means you’re already broken in.” He shrugged. “Shouldn’t devalue you and someone might like you with it. Either way, you’re worth your weight in Gil about ten times over. Some of us here have a lot of bones to pick with you.”</p>
<p>                No doubt. Though, it’d be a mercy at this point if he were killed. The other option was to live a life of servitude under an Alpha who would want him for one thing and one thing only. Even though he’d finally gotten used to the idea of having a child, it definitely wasn’t with some Alpha he didn’t know.</p>
<p>                He realized that the Alpha was staring at him. “Yeah, too bad you’re a mess. Love to break you myself, just to hear you scream.”</p>
<p>                “Fuck you,” Reno muttered. There was no bite to it because he couldn’t begin to find it. He was just glad that he got the words out.</p>
<p>                “Aw, don’t be like that, sugar. Once we give you to a soft touch, you’ll come around.” The Alpha stood up, turning to one of his associates. “Make sure he’s cleaned up and ready for tonight’s auction. I’ve got a lot of potential buyers lined up, let’s not disappoint them.”</p>
<p>                Once the Alpha left, Reno felt like he had a bit of breathing room. It wasn’t enough to clear his mind completely, but he at least stopped pressing so hard into the bars that it hurt.</p>
<p>                When he said he liked being desired, this was not what he had in mind. He’d gone from not having any Alphas after him to having too many. One thing he wondered was if he would be given a window of opportunity to bail. They were told to clean him up which meant he had to be taken out of the cage. Unfortunately, he was sure that he’d never be able to muster up the strength to put up much of a fight.</p>
<p>                He sighed softly, closing his eyes as he tried to focus on Rude. There was anger and panic there, the latter likely an echo of his own. Reno could feel the moment that his lover realized something was different, a light grin tugging at his lips.</p>
<p>                All that fighting of his instincts just to end up in a meat market. To think that it’d barely been a month since he’d even started trying. Now, he had an Alpha who marked him and he loved with every last bone in his body. He remembered what Cloud had said about things changing, just not in the way one could expect.</p>
<p>                He wasn’t one to give up, but the way he felt at the moment made it hard to think. It didn’t sit well with him, but he also knew what fighting it would take.</p>
<p>                “Ugh, make myself sick.” Reno shook his head, scowling to himself – no, <em>at</em> himself. “No job’s too hard for the Turks.”</p>
<p>                Truth be told, it <em>was</em> making him sick as he focused on trying to break through the pheromones that were practically embedded in every pore at this point. One thing that male Omegas were good at was fighting their own nature. The teacher had stated plainly that the pheromones weren’t tailored for him so he just needed to work past it.</p>
<p>                Go figure. He spent all the time taking down his barriers only to have to put them all back up. What he hated most was that it meant he had to take the risk with his bond. They could get it back, he was sure. It had to be temporary.</p>
<p>                Knowing his luck, he’d fuck it up somehow.</p>
<p>                There was something about it, wasn’t there? Being distant with the one you bonded with could break it. Or, he was guessing. Reno mentally chastised his younger self for not paying attention in class. Rude would forgive him if he did this, wouldn’t he? Desperate times called for desperate measures.</p>
<p>                Well, he wasn’t about to make any headway if he kept getting distracted. Closing his eyes and taking in a deep breath, he focused on filtering out what he despised the most. Fuck his instincts, fuck this Alpha, and fuck being an Omega.</p>
<p>                Only…</p>
<p>                His mind was knocked out of focus again as he thought about it. What if he <em>did</em> ruin everything with Rude with this idea? He had to do something; he couldn’t just give up. This wasn’t about Rude, it was about an Alpha that wasn’t his, that had to count for something. He <em>needed</em> it to count for something and make an exception for what he was about to try.</p>
<p>                Reaching up with one hand, he set it on his bonding tattoo. “Sorry,” he whispered, knowing that Rude couldn’t hear him but still needing to say it.</p>
<p>                Once more from the top. Fuck this Alpha in particular and what he was being forced to do.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. The Price Paid</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Reno never goes down without a fight, even if there's someone overwhelming every sense he's got. As is usual with me, resolve one thing, create another issue. This time, it's not so simple to fix.</p>
<p>Thank you all for reading, leaving kudos, and commenting! 💖</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                Reno was right that he needed to be removed from the cage to clean up. What he didn’t know was that they were going to put a shock collar on him. Not that electricity bothered him as much as most, but he did <em>not</em> need to have that activated while he was damp.</p>
<p>                At the least he was allowed to shower on his own. The water was clean, unlike it had been in the slums, so he also had that going for him.</p>
<p>                His gambit was paying off, though it worried him that he also couldn’t feel any secondary emotions. If they were there, they were faint enough that he was going to have to figure out how to fix it later. It would have made him worry less if he’d blocked everything that the Alpha’s pheromones did to him. He could think straight, but he still felt wary.</p>
<p>                Squeezing out his hair, he stepped out of the shower to find a new suit hanging on the door. Guess they had to make the Turk look the part if they were selling him as one.</p>
<p>                He left the bathroom to see the two handlers waiting for him. Reno adjusted his shirt collar around his shock collar, fixing the two with a cool gaze. “I’m taking a guess that the jewellery stays.”</p>
<p>                They said nothing, motioning for him to follow. It was a winding path through New Wall Market until they came out upon an unassuming building on the far edge of the district. At the moment, he still wasn’t sure where he was in relation to Kalm. The buildings were too tall and it wasn’t as if he was familiar with the stars enough to place himself.</p>
<p>                Entering the building through a back door, Reno found himself close to the large Alpha again. While he was still feeling the effects somewhat, he didn’t feel like running away any longer. He at least tried to keep the calm in his eyes, not wanting to give away that he wasn’t as tamed as he once was. Not until he found something to shove very, very far up this guy’s asshole.</p>
<p>                He shuddered as the Alpha ran his thumb over Reno’s cheek. “Really is too bad you lose that fire near me. Makes you look so good when you’re defiant.” The Alpha gestured with his head for the handlers to direct Reno to the stage. “Try to put it on while you’re displayed. Might make you more valuable.”</p>
<p>                It took everything in him to not snarl at the bastard as he followed the two lackeys. This guy was going to pay for what he was doing in more ways than one. Reno was in the mood to just inject all of the syringes they’d gotten into him at once.</p>
<p>                “Get out there and look good,” one of the men growled, pushing Reno hard onto the stage.</p>
<p>                It was definitely very Wall Market on the stage. Gaudy decorations, people dressed up like they were at some legitimate auction. He didn’t have to fake the contempt he felt for the people in front of him, he felt it down to his core. How couldn’t he? This was costing him everything he had, just so he could find one opening to get his ass out of the fire.</p>
<p>                Not caring what it looked like to the people bidding on him, Reno brushed his fingers over his tattoo. He missed it already, the burn and the controlled feelings he’d felt for the past couple of weeks. Maybe the price he was paying was too high, but the alternatives meant he’d never see Rude again regardless. Judging by the heated bids, whoever purchased him would keep him under lock and key without question. It’d be too late by then and it’d take forever to find his opening to escape. Who knew what kind of hell he’d put Rude through if the bond remained?</p>
<p>                “Sold!”</p>
<p>                The word made his heart tighten and he looked across the crowd. It was impossible to see who actually won him. It must have been an astronomical amount as many were looking disappointed and others were absolutely floored. It was a little flattering, he supposed.</p>
<p>                At a cue, Reno walked off the stage towards another handler, grunting as he was shoved down into a seat. “Wow, don’t even care if you bruise the merchandise, huh?”</p>
<p>                The lackey merely smirked. “Bitch, you just made us all rich. It’s gonna be good to rule over New Wall Market.”</p>
<p>                All he needed was one opening and he was getting increasingly agitated that they ran such a tight ship. He needed to isolate just one of them and knock them out. It shouldn’t be that hard to get out of the building. These lackeys were blinded by greed already, not even having noticed the bite Reno had to his words.</p>
<p>                He was yanked to his feet again and led to a small back room and tossed in. The door was closed before he could find his footing. Now he knew for certain they were taking special precautions with him. At this point, what he’d done to drag himself out of the mire the Alpha put him in would be for nothing. All it helped him feel was irritated and frustrated.</p>
<p>                Closing his eyes for a moment, he opened them to look around, spotting a window higher up on the wall. “Bingo,” he murmured.</p>
<p>                Leaping upwards, he hung from the ledge to look at the window. It was one that opened outwards which meant it would be a tight squeeze unless he could swing it open far enough. He was glad that he wasn’t pregnant already which would have effectively ruined his escape.</p>
<p>                He jostled the window open, eyeing the hinges critically. They were new, like most everything else in New Wall Market was which meant he couldn’t easily break them. However, he didn’t get this far just to be beaten by window hinges. Pulling back an elbow, he started hitting it until it loosened. His elbows would be sore tomorrow, but he was glad he had the strength to do this.</p>
<p>                It felt like a small eternity before the hinges were damaged enough to let the window push open freely. Reno didn’t even waste time before he wiggled his way out, landing on the damp stones outside. He stepped back for a moment to look at the building before he started following some of the narrow passages back to the main road.</p>
<p>                Taking a moment to find something distinct to mark the path, Reno did his best to put some distance between him and the building. He was, after all, still wearing the shock collar. Without knowing the range, he knew he needed to get as far away as he possibly could.</p>
<p>                Reno could tell it was late with how busy New Wall Market was. It took him longer than he wanted to get through to Kalm proper. Once he did, he knew precisely where he was going, his feet taking him to Rude’s apartment.</p>
<p>                He knocked on the door, pressing his lips together as he got no answer. Shit, he had no idea where he’d be if not at home. Knowing Rude, he was likely combing New Wall Market to find him. This left him with few options.</p>
<p>                Cursing softly, he left the building and decided to go to Zack and Cloud’s. It was late, they were going to either be pissed or relieved to see him. He hoped it would be the latter rather than the former, though he had a high chance of waking up their baby while he knocked.</p>
<p>                The backdoor was the better option and he slipped through the gate, closing it as he entered. He knocked hard at the door, hoping that it was loud enough to wake them. Waiting a beat, he did it again until he saw a light turn on and a shadow at the door.</p>
<p>                A very weary, robed Cloud answered the door, blinking momentarily before he squinted. “Reno?” His mind clearly caught up to him and he dragged the Turk into the home, slamming the door shut. “Are you okay?”</p>
<p>                He went to nod then shook his head side to side. “Tried to go to Rude’s but he didn’t answer the door.”</p>
<p>                Zack entered the kitchen as well, stopping when he saw the Omega. He let out a sigh that could only be relief, going over to him and putting his hands upon Reno’s shoulders. “We’ve been looking everywhere for you. It’s been two days.”</p>
<p>                His mind reeled from the information, making him blink slightly. “How…?” The bastard had kept him under for two days? Reno was at least glad that he doubted the Alpha had let anyone take advantage of him, but it still felt like a hard piece of information to swallow.</p>
<p>                Cloud made a noise, shooing his Alpha away and leading Reno to the living room. He sat him down and actually started checking the Turk over, stopping when he saw one elbow. “Zack, could you get the bandages?”</p>
<p>                It was a little surreal as the two worked to help bandage his battered elbows that he didn’t even notice were bleeding. He mostly felt numb to everything as his mind began catching up to him. After a moment, he realized he was being talked to and he turned his head to see Cloud’s worried face.</p>
<p>                “Reno, you need some rest,” Cloud said, putting a hand on the Turk’s shoulder. “I promise we’ll get word to Rude as soon as we can.”</p>
<p>                Shock. Yeah, he was in shock, that’s what he was. Before he passed out, he needed to know something. “Can you accidentally break a bond?”</p>
<p>                “You can weaken it to the point it feels broken,” Zack said. “I want to ask what happened, but Cloud’s right. You’re headed for an adrenaline crash.”</p>
<p>                As he was helped to his feet, Reno realized that they’d taken off the jacket and shirt he’d had on. He pointed to his neck. “It’s a shock collar. Need to find someone who can take it off so they don’t jolt me awake.”</p>
<p>                Rolling his eyes, Cloud pushed harder to get Reno to the spare bedroom. He made the other Omega sit down then took off Reno’s shoes, looking up. “You don’t have to pretend you’re okay. I know you’re not, especially if your bond’s weakened.”</p>
<p>                Leave it to Cloud to be the doting mother. Suddenly, he felt incredibly tired. “I’m going to owe you my first born at this rate.”</p>
<p>                “You don’t owe me anything,” Cloud said, finally smiling lightly. “Get comfortable before you pass out. We’ll sort everything out tomorrow.”</p>
<p>                Finally, Reno conceded defeat, nodding once as he swung himself up into the bed. There wasn’t even a single thought that ran through his head before he drifted off into a sleep like he’d never had before. Nothing disturbed him, not even the rising of the morning sun.</p>
<p>                It was bright in the room when he did open his eyes, making a soft noise as he realized someone had joined him in bed. A quick glance told him who it was, even if he could only see Rude’s back. His heart ached as he also understood that he couldn’t feel anything between them.</p>
<p>                Taking in a deep breath of Rude’s scent, Reno leaned in and wrapped his arms around his Alpha. “You awake?”</p>
<p>                Rude nodded, threading his fingers with Reno’s. “I was putting in overtime at the security building when I got the call. We realized too late what they’d done.”</p>
<p>                “I was the one who told you to go after them. Didn’t even think it was a trap.” Reno pressed his forehead against his lover’s back. “I’m sorry.”</p>
<p>                “He didn’t do anything to you, did he?” Rude asked, a soft growl in his voice.</p>
<p>                Reno shook his head, knowing the other would feel it. “Not physically. It’s my fault the bond’s all fucked up. I needed to get that bastard out of my head so – “</p>
<p>                “You closed yourself off so you had the strength to get out,” Rude finished for him. “You weighed your options. Even though neither were preferable, you chose me over being lost for who knows how long.”</p>
<p>                “Didn’t think of it that way. So why the hell is it all broken? I still feel the same.”</p>
<p>                Letting go of Reno’s hand, Rude turned over so he could face the Omega. “Because you closed off your heart which severed it temporarily. We’ll both have to work to bring it back.” Rude reached up, putting a hand over the mark on Reno’s chest which tingled ever so slightly. “That’s going to take time.”</p>
<p>                Reno put his hand over Rude’s, holding it there. “Glad to know I didn’t break it completely.”</p>
<p>                It was too bad that they were in someone else’s home, but Reno leaned in for a kiss. Right now, he just wanted to be wrapped up in the Alpha that had stolen his heart. He chuckled against his lover’s lips as he felt him return the affection in kind though without the same hesitation. There was too much to do and he couldn’t spend it all day trying to restore the bond through mind blowing sex.</p>
<p>                He reluctantly pulled away, making a noise of protest as Rude tried to keep it going. “Hey, not our damn house and there’s a baby here. I want to do it as much as you do but I need to tell you what happened.” A slight shift of his head reminded him of what was on his neck and he winced. “And I need to get this shit off of me.”</p>
<p>                It seemed that Rude hadn’t noticed it until the collar was pointed out. He nudged Reno to sit up, fingers trailing underneath the Omega’s chin to tap at the offending metal. “Cutters should do the trick.”</p>
<p>                Reno kept his head tilted up for a moment before dropping it. “Good. It’s a shock collar and they’ve still got the remote. Not that it bothers me much, but…you know.”</p>
<p>                Neither made a motion to get out of the bed. It was fairly obvious even without the bond that the absence of it bothered Rude. Reno flexed a hand, ignoring the jab of pain as he moved his arm up to press his hand against the matching tattoo on his lover. As Rude held the hand there, he knew it’d tingled, just like his own had.</p>
<p>                “I can fix this. I <em>need</em> to fix this.”</p>
<p>                “It’s not your fault. You did what you had to do, I don’t blame you,” Rude said, keeping his eyes locked with Reno’s. “<em>We</em> can fix this.”</p>
<p>                However long it took, whatever he had to do, Reno knew he’d do it. He also knew he’d never forgive the one who made him do it in the first place. As much as he hated to admit it, the bond would have to wait until they took down the Alpha that had screwed with the wrong Omega.</p>
<p>                The distinct sound of a happy baby made them both freeze, Reno looking over his shoulder at the door. He let out a heavy breath, moving to slide out of the bed. “Come on, we’ve got work to do.”</p>
<p>                Opening the door, he made his way to the kitchen where Fenrir and Cloud were. Cloud looked over to the two from where he was rinsing dishes in the sink. “Hope Fenrir didn’t wake you up.”</p>
<p>                Reno shook his head, going over to the bassinet and offering the baby a smile. “Guess you wouldn’t have a spare shirt I could borrow, would you? Need to get to the office to tell them what happened.”</p>
<p>                Cloud dried his hands on a towel, nodding slightly. “Yeah, just a minute. Keep an eye on Fenrir for me, will you? I need to get ready because we’re going with you.”</p>
<p>                Not giving them time to protest, the other Omega was up the stairs and doing whatever it was he needed. Reno sighed softly, shrugging a shoulder as he reached into the bassinet to pick Fenrir up. “Hey, wolf cub. You’re looking good with all that black hair you’ve got now.”</p>
<p>                So, he wasn’t entirely ignorant with how to take care of children. As with any Omega, there was an inherent knowledge that Reno listened to as he walked towards the living room, baby cradled in his arms. He sat down on the couch then felt eyes on him, looking to see Rude gazing at him with more than a bit of wonder.</p>
<p>                “Still a bit raw, I think. Feels kind of useless to ignore my instincts and not use them.” He bounced Fenrir in his arms and grinned. “Good practise, right?”</p>
<p>                Rude chuckled, reaching into his pocket to pull out some glasses. He didn’t put them on right away, instead watching Reno. “If we wait until the bond is repaired or not, that’s entirely up to you.”</p>
<p>                Pressing his lips together, Reno let out a breath. “Yeah, bond first, kid later. It’d probably be hell to restore it if I got pregnant.”</p>
<p>                Cloud made his way downstairs, stopping when he spotted Reno holding his son. A light smile played at his lips before he recovered, holding up a plain, blue t-shirt. “Not your style, but I wouldn’t want to cover those elbows too much.”</p>
<p>                Rude took the shirt while Reno helped Cloud get Fenrir into his carrier. Pulling on the shirt, Reno lifted an arm to peer at the bandages. “Didn’t realize how much I screwed them up.” He shrugged, picking up the baby bag before Cloud could. “Let’s get to the office before the boss starts calling you.”</p>
<p>                He knew what it looked like but he was beyond caring at this point. Reno wasn’t just “a bit” raw, he felt stripped down to his bones. Between being exposed to the hulking Alpha and losing his bond, he didn’t know what hit him harder. Nothing had ever worn him down this much before in his life. Right now, it felt good to focus on getting the information to Tseng so they could get the Alpha off the streets and free all the people he’d seen.</p>
<p>                The four entered the office, Tseng actually pausing as he saw Reno. “I would ask if you’re all right, but I can definitely see you’re not.”</p>
<p>                Reno shrugged, setting the baby bag down beside Cloud before taking a seat. If Tseng was noticing how worn he was, he probably looked like hell. “Are we all ready for story time?” he asked, getting a nod from Zack.</p>
<p>                He filled them in on everything from when he was taken. Reno didn’t pay attention to any of their reactions, knowing that they were likely just as pissed off as he was. One of his elbows began to ache as he described how he fucked them up on the hinges of the window.</p>
<p>                “They might still be there. I marked off the path to the auction house, but they’ll be expecting us.”</p>
<p>                “You aren’t going anywhere but to your apartment for some rest,” Tseng said, giving Reno a pointed look.</p>
<p>                Growling softly, the Turk shook his head. “All due respect, boss, but I’ve got a score to settle. I’ll crash later.” He knew none of them approved of his decision, but he stood up and took his phone and stun baton. “I’m going to change then we can go ram a fist in that Alpha’s teeth. And find someone with some cutters to get this damn collar off of me.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. No Magic Fix</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Couldn't go without having at least one last round of smut with these two. Tomorrow, we wrap this up.</p>
<p>Thank you all for reading! 💕</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                As expected, the auction house was empty when they got there. Reno had led the force to it, letting them comb the entire building for any clues.</p>
<p>                Naturally, he wasn’t entirely out of options. He retraced his steps, going out of the backdoor and following the narrow paths to the warehouse he’d been kept in. Again, the place was empty – mostly. A smile crossed Reno’s face as he sauntered up to the cages.</p>
<p>                “Looks like we’re a little late to the party,” he said, looking at his captors from the night before. “Guessing my buyer was more than pissed that I flew the coop.”</p>
<p>                The one that had pushed him around after the sale glared at him. Reno glared right back which shocked the other man. It was no surprise as to why considering the massive Alpha was also in a cage. He was knocked out, but the man was still giving off the controlling pheromones as they tended to do. Didn’t need to be conscious to do that.</p>
<p>                It took a decent amount of time to clear out the warehouse. Transporting the Alpha was a trial in and of itself as they did their best to stop the fallout from his presence. Even Zack and Rude had been sent home, though Rude hadn’t gone without a fight. Reno knew that his lover was just as affected as he was about being cut off from their bond, but the sooner he took care of this, the sooner he could focus on fixing that.</p>
<p>                “Reno, are you certain you wish to do this?” Tseng asked, standing outside of the detention room.</p>
<p>                Twirling the syringe he was given in his fingers, Reno laughed mirthlessly. “More than anything else right now.” If nothing else, it’d make him feel just a tiny bit of satisfaction.</p>
<p>                He entered the room, enjoying the shocked look on the Alpha’s face. “Malik Pearson, from one of the deepest gutters in Sector Two. The only Alpha that grew up there which made you the best of the best.” Reno slapped the file on the table. He’d read it backwards and forwards, he didn’t need to see it again. “But Sector Two was boring because there were no Omegas to admire you. So, you went looking for greener pastures.”</p>
<p>                Malik was still trying to come out of whatever tranquilizer he’d been hit with, but he was awake enough to scowl deeply at Reno. “How the hell are you even standing there?”</p>
<p>                Ignoring the question, Reno kicked out a chair to sit across from the hulking man. “You ended up in Wall Market and its destruction chased you here and you saw a hole that needed filling.” Reno paused, smirking a little. “Well, multiple holes, I guess. New Wall Market was going to make you the next Don Corneo and you’d have a harem that would make any Alpha drool.”</p>
<p>                “Then you showed up and somehow managed to fuck me out of it.” Tilting his head, the Alpha looked into Reno’s eyes. “What the hell did you do to yourself?”</p>
<p>                Reno stayed silent for a moment, tapping the desk. “I did what I had to so I didn’t end up as some millionaire’s prized possession. Don’t remember the final amount. What was it?”</p>
<p>                Laughing and rustling the thick chains he was bound by, Malik smiled. “Talk about narcissism. You went for five million which would’ve put us in top position to build a small empire.”</p>
<p>                Well fuck, no wonder some were floored. “That <em>does</em> stroke my ego a little bit. I think I’d be disappointed if you were all excited about anything less than three. I mean, how many Omegas do you know that can block out your kind of Alpha pheromones?”</p>
<p>                “Should’ve known better than to keep you awake. You’re too resourceful, like a rat.”</p>
<p>                “Squeak, squeak,” Reno taunted. He flicked the syringe upwards, catching it. “Lucky for everyone, you won’t be able to do what you’ve done to me to anyone else. You should thank Tseng for interfering. We’ve got five of these but he’ll only give me one. Worried I might kill you or something, I guess.”</p>
<p>                Malik eyed the object. “What the hell did I do to you other than show you your worth, sugar?” His eyes went to the mark on Reno’s chest, and he smiled slowly. “Aw, did you break your little bond with your trick? Bet that’s shattered your black heart. Got a taste of what the people in the slums felt after your little stunt.”</p>
<p>                It did and he hated that the Alpha was right. Reno wasn’t sure if he would be entirely satisfied with what he was about to do, but he couldn’t do more than this. They weren’t in the business of casual murder any longer. “And now it’s my turn to break you.” He shook the syringe, getting up to go behind Malik. “It’ll probably take more than one, but have to do it over a few days. So says the doc. You should thank them when you get the chance.”</p>
<p>                If the Alpha figured out what was going on, Reno didn’t see it. He was more focused on ensuring the syringe was jabbed into the man’s neck, enjoying the way Malik tried to get himself out of his chains. Soon enough, the Alpha passed out and Reno sighed gently. He tossed the used syringe on the table before he left the detention room.</p>
<p>                Tseng fell into step as Reno started walking down the hall. “Go home and get some rest. Take as much time as you need.”</p>
<p>                “I’ll need Rude. Not negotiable,” he said, running a hand through his hair. “I know we’re a liability right now – “</p>
<p>                “Enough.” Tseng stopped, putting a hand on Reno’s shoulder to ensure he did as well. “Neither of you have ever once been a liability. All of us need to remember that we’re no longer working for Shinra. Working with Zack has made it more obvious than ever that circumstances have changed.”</p>
<p>                Though Reno had essentially been working on autopilot, Tseng’s words made him pause. “It can’t have changed enough that we’re not costing you manpower.”</p>
<p>                “You are, but that’s precisely why I got new recruits. It’s not that I’m not sympathetic to what you two are trying to establish. We’ve all earned our rest.” Tseng laughed softly. “I do think that working with Zack and Cloud has rubbed off on me.”</p>
<p>                For the first time since he’d gotten out of his situation, Reno managed a soft smile. “Thanks, boss. Not going to make promises I can’t keep since I have no idea what I’ll do when the bond’s back.”</p>
<p>                Tseng began walking again, hands behind his back. “Stop worrying so much. Restoring such a bond is no easy task and I’d hardly blame you if it made you decide to start your family.”</p>
<p>                “Who the hell are you and what did you do to Tseng?” Reno asked, arching a brow.</p>
<p>                “As I said, working with Zack and Cloud has given me some unique perspectives that books won’t. Though Cloud generally remains at home, he comes here often. There’s something to the way they work together that’s interesting.” The Turk looked at the training room as he passed it, Zack inside today and helping with new recruits. “Books can explain the bonds that Alpha and Omega have, but they can’t expound on the subtle nuances.”</p>
<p>                Fancy words, but Reno understood what the other man was saying. It was something he’d felt for too brief of a time, that’d made his heart sing in ways he’d never felt before. Losing that was like tearing out his heart and stepping on it. It was only made worse by the fact that his feelings hadn’t changed and the only reason the bond had severed was because he’d had to wall himself off.</p>
<p>                A hand came up unconsciously to touch his mark, sighing softly. “Yeah, doubt that there’s anyone who could understand it unless they felt it themselves.” They reached the door leading to the street and Reno stopped before opening it. “I’ll keep in touch, promise.”</p>
<p>                “Focus on yourself for once, not work. Take care of yourselves and good luck, Reno.”</p>
<p>                Nodding, Reno finally left and let his feet take him where they wanted to go. Going to his apartment was not on his agenda. He’d stated that he needed Rude and he’d meant it. It was his lover’s home he aimed for, knocking on the door as soon as he arrived.</p>
<p>                As soon as the door was opened, Reno saw his own desire reflected in Rude’s face. They were both subdued which was unusual for when they were alone. It didn’t take book smarts to figure out that the severance of a strong bond likely caused depression. Whatever they needed to do, getting through the misery that they now wallowed in was paramount to healing.</p>
<p>                “Tseng let me give the guy his first shot. I wanted to do all five but he wouldn’t let me.” Reno reached up, pulling off the goggles he wore. He threw them to an armchair as he started taking off his jacket.</p>
<p>                He knew without looking that Rude was likely following his lead. The Omega wasn’t stupid, he knew full well that sex wasn’t going to magically fix their bond. What he wanted most was some kind of connection again. His best starting point was to immerse himself in the one he’d bonded with in the first place.</p>
<p>                Naked and exhausted, Reno climbed into bed, closing his eyes. He felt the weight of Rude beside him then arms pulling him close. Rude wasn’t always much for words, either. They both had that weakness, but they both made up for it by making sure their actions spelled everything out. Their bond had practically eliminated words entirely.</p>
<p>                Fuck, he missed it.</p>
<p>                With a soft growl, he put his hands on Rude’s chest, pushing him over so he could straddle the Alpha. Reno shifted, feeling his lover’s dick between his legs. “I think I get why Cloud and Zack live the way they do. They keep having everything taken from them, over and over again.” He huffed gently, shifting his hips. “It fucking sucks.”</p>
<p>                Rude growled lowly, one hand going to Reno’s hip while the other slid up one of the Omega’s legs. “They live each day as though it’s their last because they still feel it very well may be. We’ve never even considered it, even with our job.”</p>
<p>                “No job too hard for the Turks,” Reno muttered. He stilled, hands roaming over Rude’s body as he just looked at him. “Maybe taking it every day like they do would help get our bond back.”</p>
<p>                Nails scraped gently over Reno’s thigh, rough hands following. “Think you could learn to live in the slow lane for a while?”</p>
<p>                Chuckling gently, the Omega shook his head. “Guess we’ll find out. Always been one of my greatest weaknesses.” Hell, when they’d first had sex, Reno was the one who asked for one thing and then all but demanded another. Going slow was hard for him because it felt boring otherwise. “What about you?”</p>
<p>                Nodding once, Rude pushed himself up to press his lips against Reno’s. Bond or not, they understood one another in ways that most wouldn’t. Some would think Reno was too volatile or Rude was too distant and had no emotions. For a small amount of time, they’d both proven to each other what they already knew: how everyone saw them was wrong.</p>
<p>                Reno leaned into the kiss, humming as he relaxed. It’d be just like their first time when they didn’t have the bond, even though he could feel it tingling now. He lay his arms on Rude’s shoulders, pressing his body up against his lover’s.</p>
<p>                He felt Rude position himself but still broke the kiss off with a gasp when he felt his Alpha enter him. It was a rush every single time. Groaning lowly, Reno started moving his hips, feeling the cock inside of him massage him in just the right way.</p>
<p>                “Practising taking it slow?” Rude asked, fingers threading through Reno’s hair which was still tied back.</p>
<p>                Grinning lightly, the Omega leaned in to nip gently at his lover’s lower lip. “This is the one place we don’t need to take it slow. I just need it right now,” Reno breathed, pressing his forehead against Rude’s.</p>
<p>                They had a habit of going at it fast and hard, not that Reno was going to complain. Naturally, he still knew this wasn’t going to fix everything, but he wanted to savour it for a little while. The odd time they did work up to it, that first orgasm was slow to come on and made his abdomen clench in a way he loved. Strange, perhaps, but he enjoyed it.</p>
<p>                Panting softly, he felt it building up already. He watched Rude’s face through lidded eyes as he kept moving his hips, dragging up slowly before going back down at the same pace. “Promise you can pound me after,” he said, laughing breathlessly as he heard the responding growl. “I know you love that most. You’ve gotten good at making me scream.”</p>
<p>                The growl that Rude let out excited him as much as the teeth brushing at his neck. Rude was a well-contained powerhouse that was still trying to figure out how much he could unleash against his Omega. Reno had been right when he’d assumed his lover would be a fierce Alpha, but now it was up to him to coax it out. He could feel it in the arms that wrapped around him and the way the other’s fingers scraped down his back.</p>
<p>                Reno arched with a moan as a movement made the dick inside of him brush against that sensitive spot inside. Once he found it, he kept at it, tensing as his first orgasm washed over him. It drew a soft noise from his throat as he rode it out, one that turned into a pleasured groan as he kept moving. Now was the time to bring the Alpha out of his lover.</p>
<p>                “Well, what are you waiting for? It’s your turn.” When the other hesitated, Reno let out a soft growl and pressed down hard on Rude’s knot. “It’s not just about what <em>I</em> need.”</p>
<p>                Those seemed to be the right words as Rude growled lowly, teeth putting more pressure on Reno’s neck. “Then, on your hands and knees,” he murmured, his voice low.</p>
<p>                It was almost startling to feel that compulsion to obey. He’d thought he’d still be blocking it, but he supposed that being with Rude had loosened his restraints. He complied eagerly, stretching out his arms until he felt an iron grip on his wrists. One wrist was held in place while the other pulled his arm up against his back. It was the most dominating position they’d ever been in and it was sexy as hell.</p>
<p>                Rude wasn’t gentle about it, sliding back in as he started up a hard rhythm. As much as Reno enjoyed a slow burn at times, there was something to be said about being fucked into the bed. He didn’t disappoint his lover by crying out each time Rude slammed back in, almost sure he was coming every other thrust.</p>
<p>                He didn’t know when his cries turned to begging, ending in a scream as Rude knotted him. For a small eternity, Reno couldn’t do anything but buck and writhe as he came, over and over. Eventually, when he had nothing left in him, Rude let him go then laid on top of his Omega.</p>
<p>                Reno whined softly, feeling the pressure in his stomach. He returned the affectionate nuzzles at his neck as much as he could. “Fuck, I love it when you let your Alpha side out,” he breathed, laughing gently.</p>
<p>                In the back of his mind, he was glad that he could still be affected by the Alpha he wanted to be affected by. The one thing he missed most was the bond, the way it felt afterwards. It always burned and even the calm Rude tended to have a cascade of emotions that Reno loved feeling. Now, it barely tingled which did disappoint him more than anything at the moment.</p>
<p>                For now, he was going to bask in the afterglow for as long as he could. They could always talk about things later.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Need Versus Want</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                The process was slow. It was like chipping away at a rock with a knife when all you wanted was a sledgehammer. All Reno wanted was the bond back to the way it was and he was more than willing to do whatever it took to do that.</p>
<p>                Restoring the bond was one thing that Reno didn’t do well with living in the slow lane with. As much as he enjoyed his free time and what they did with it, he also wanted <em>results</em>. He was at least pleased that his trick with blocking Alpha pheromones was incredibly selective. Rude still had the same effect on him as he always did.</p>
<p>                So, it was a bit of give and take. If only what was taken wasn’t such a big deal.</p>
<p>                “You’re moping again.”</p>
<p>                Rude’s voice cut across Reno’s dark thoughts. He lifted the book from his face and stared up at the Alpha. “I’m sorry, is that a problem? Not like you can really tell, can you?” he said, making his irritation clear.</p>
<p>                No, it wasn’t entirely true that Rude couldn’t tell. The feelings had gone from being a slight tingle to a small trickle. At times, they’d come through faintly, so faint that it was to the point that it could easily be mistaken for nothing at all.</p>
<p>                Sighing softly, Rude put his hand on the tattoo on Reno’s chest. “That’s not productive, you know that.”</p>
<p>                “Yeah, well, neither is this.” Reno snapped his book shut and let it fall onto his stomach with a growl. “Our feelings haven’t changed; it shouldn’t take this damn long to come back to us.”</p>
<p>                Apparently, those were words that the Alpha needed to hear as he hummed. Rude traced his fingers over Reno’s chest before he reached down to pick up the book. It was about bonds and mostly observations about them since no one understood the logistics of how they worked. Tattoos were new, but it was still like the old way of simply swapping blood.</p>
<p>                Reno was irritated enough for the both of them. Nothing he’d read had given insight into how to fix it. All he could ever discern was that there were no quick fixes and there was a chance they would never have the bond back as strong as before.</p>
<p>                He stretched out in Rude’s lap, letting out a gusty sigh. “Tseng should’ve let me do more to that bastard. Cost me something more important than his mega Alpha body.”</p>
<p>                “That’s enough. You took something important from him as payback for forcing your hand.”</p>
<p>                Muttering a curse under his breath, Reno snorted and turned over to his side. “Still not sure if it was worth it. You probably would’ve found me anyway.”</p>
<p>                Rude stayed silent at that before he made a noise in his throat. “You didn’t see who purchased you. Considering how you found that Alpha and his friends, I imagine that your would-be captor has more strength than you realize.”</p>
<p>                Once again, Reno had to admit that he didn’t think of it in that way. It was even possible the guy still had sights on him and was just waiting for his chance. Since he knew that Reno was in the vicinity and now knew what he was, it was always a possibility he wouldn’t let him go. It was more important than ever to ensure he kept all of his wits about him.</p>
<p>                “I’ll give you that,” Reno finally muttered. “I need some damned Alpha repellent to keep everyone but you away.”</p>
<p>                Laughing softly, Rude moved the book he was reading to look down at his Omega. “You’re more irritable than usual. You did remember to take those pills of yours, didn’t you?”</p>
<p>                Waving a dismissive hand, Reno grunted. “Yeah, yeah.” A moment’s pause made him question whether he had or not. Since he’d moved in with Rude, he was still trying to keep track of where everything of his was. Neither of them had many possessions, but that was the one thing he’d forgotten entirely about.</p>
<p>                On purpose.</p>
<p>                It wasn’t a conscious decision; it was his body trying to dictate it for him. With his frustration at losing the bond, it was no wonder he simply let himself forget. There were too many things assaulting his thoughts so isolating more than one was difficult.</p>
<p>                “What if – “</p>
<p>                “No.” Rude didn’t even look down at Reno and it was as if he knew what was going to come out of the Omega’s mouth before he said it. “Your emotions are scattered at the best of times. Adding that to attempting to get you focused enough to restore the bond would make things more difficult.”</p>
<p>                Reno scowled, reaching up to knock the book out of his lover’s hands. “But <em>what if</em> it’s what we need?”</p>
<p>                Rude let out a heavy sigh. “It’s what you want, not what you need. There’s a difference. You’d said it yourself only days ago that adding a pregnancy into the mix would make it impossible.”</p>
<p>                “And you said it was still up to me.”</p>
<p>                Humming lowly, the Alpha picked Reno up enough so that he could stand. While Reno had definitely forgotten where he’d put the damn things, Rude knew precisely where they were. He returned from the bathroom with two pill bottles, sitting down again. “It is, but you know better than I do what happens to you when you’re in your heat cycle.”</p>
<p>                Turning around on the couch, Reno glared at the offending bottles. It was worse that Rude had a point. Sure, it’d been a long time since he’d experienced it, but time didn’t sweeten that deal. It was the only reason he’d gotten on them in the first place. Nothing on his mind but the need to breed. Yeah, he wouldn’t find solace in that and would probably ensure that they’d never get the bond back to what it’d once been.</p>
<p>                Swiping angrily at the bottles, he took them and just held them in his hands. “Fine, I get it.”</p>
<p>                Cutting across his irritation and frustration, Reno was certain he felt just a bit of sympathy in their bond. He knew that Rude wasn’t trying to be an asshole about it and it was still up to Reno when they started a family. It was all about timing. At the moment, neither were in a position to consider it with being focused entirely on themselves.</p>
<p>                “Hey.” Rude put a hand on Reno’s shoulder. “I know this is hard for you.”</p>
<p>                “Don’t pretend that it’s not hard for you, too,” Reno muttered. “Let’s face it. Being a Turk isn’t compatible with having a real life. Not when something like this could happen again. Then I want to throw a kid into the mix, turning them into another target. Great parenting already and the kid’s not even here.”</p>
<p>                They’d come all this way only for a reminder of what he did for a living to stop him in his tracks. He didn’t regret being with Rude, not even for a second. What his body and instincts wanted conflicted with everything. Maybe he wouldn’t get things tied off for good, but he knew he’d be hard pressed to find any decent time to give into it.</p>
<p>                “There’s always a choice.”</p>
<p>                Reno laughed lightly. “And neither of them is preferable, but one’s always better than the other. Just not sure which one I’d be able to stomach more.”</p>
<p>                It was moments like these when he could feel a bit more through their bond. As Cloud had all but beaten into him, it was all about being open and honest. Reno felt like he’d gotten much better at that as of late, even if it wasn’t being honest with everyone. He was honest with the one who needed to hear it, just as Rude was so much more open with him.</p>
<p>                “No one likes the idea of giving up something they dedicated a good deal of their life to,” Rude said, putting a hand on Reno’s cheek. “Would you be happy giving up the dream of a family for a risky career?”</p>
<p>                Leaning lightly against Rude’s hand, Reno finally shook his head. “Hell if I know. I spent all this time worrying about it, now I’m having second thoughts.” Glancing down at the bottles in his hand, he realized that was likely part of the problem. It was so close, but so far. “Guys like us don’t get to have the good life, do we?”</p>
<p>                There was a faint hint of sadness Reno felt, something that didn’t belong to him. “Whatever you decide, I’ll be here for you.”</p>
<p>                With everything that had happened, having a family felt like a far-reaching dream that he could never attain. Yet, he still felt something he was sure was jealousy when he saw Cloud and Zack playing happy family with their son. It reminded him of when they’d first arrived in Kalm and how the picture of Cloud being pregnant didn’t match the same badass he’d fought against in Midgar. No one else could see Reno having a baby, they’d said as much.</p>
<p>                Growling softly, Reno reached up to run a hand through his hair. “Definitely not time for this if I’m thinking twice about it.”</p>
<p>                “You’re nervous about what’ll happen when you do, that’s all.” Rude reached down, tapping the bottles in Reno’s hand. “Take those before you convince yourself that you simply need to push past those nerves. You’re not ready for it yet.”</p>
<p>                As per usual, the Alpha had a point and Reno hated it. With a soft noise, Reno got up to do just that, finding that he still hated every moment of it. Even with his current misgivings, he didn’t really <em>want</em> to stop the process, he only knew he <em>needed</em> to. There was a big difference between what he wanted and what he needed, even if that difference wasn’t always obvious to him right away.</p>
<p>                Tossing the bottles up on the counter, he went back to flop down on the couch beside his lover. “Teach me to try diving in head-first.”</p>
<p>                “It’s not hopeless. You’ll decide one way or another eventually.”</p>
<p>                “Not hopeless, but let’s say we get this bond back tomorrow. I’m going to have a lot of regrets and we have to wait another few months for that to come around again.” Reno looked over and chuckled as he saw the disbelief on his lover’s face. “Then I’ll probably find a new reason to talk myself out of it.”</p>
<p>                Rude sighed softly. “Or, you’ll have less on your mind and will be more open to making the choice.”</p>
<p>                Not likely. It seemed that everything around them was determined to fall on their shoulders. Of course, the more he thought of it the way Rude did, it was true he’d have an easier choice to make. The more he saw what he could have, the more he wanted it. Wild and crazy days were taking more of a toll on him now than they did only a couple of years before.</p>
<p>                Great, he was already talking himself <em>into</em> it again.</p>
<p>                Something must have trickled into their weak bond as Rude hummed softly. “What you really need is to focus, Reno. You always live your life with every cylinder firing, which is admirable, but taking a break wouldn’t hurt.”</p>
<p>                “What do you suggest, then?”</p>
<p>                “We go somewhere away from the city, just for a day.” Rude obviously sensed that he had Reno’s attention and he looked over to the Omega. “We’ve tried your way, now let’s try it mine. We have nothing else to lose.”</p>
<p>                Laughing gently at the thought, Reno shrugged. “Yeah, why the hell not? You’re always bitching at me to focus and I know I am. It doesn’t matter how much I focus.”</p>
<p>                Saying nothing, Rude closed up the book he was reading and set it aside. “It does matter, it also matters where. The city is full of distractions and noises, even here in the apartment. We need a place that’s quieter.”</p>
<p>                Reno looked over finally, arching a brow. “Are you literally suggesting some kind of nature retreat? I’m not going to Costa del Sol, I can tell you that much.”</p>
<p>                “No, somewhere closer. Costa del Sol has its own host of noise and distractions.” Rude got up from the couch, straightening his white button-up shirt as he did. “Leave the planning to me.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>                It’d been early morning when the two set out from Kalm on foot. They’d left their phones behind which removed all the major distractions from their little retreat. Not that they were going to be gone long, but it felt strange to actually walk away from it all. Of course, they’d told Tseng that they would be unreachable, not that they’d been bothered since given time off.</p>
<p>                The Planet was obviously recovering around Kalm, judging from the sounds of nature around them. “I thought you said we were going somewhere quieter,” Reno grumbled.</p>
<p>                Rude said nothing as he led the way further away from the city. It wasn’t as if they had full-grown trees yet, but there were some that had sprouted around. Bushes, long grass, everything simply looked alive.</p>
<p>                A warm breeze ran through Reno’s hair as his lover finally stopped near the flowing river. They were down from the waterfall which had been modified for electricity use. With how Kalm had grown, they weren’t more than a mile or so from the limits, but it was far enough that the city noise wasn’t audible. If they had vehicles running, that would be a whole other story.</p>
<p>                Truthfully, Reno wasn’t sure this was any better. Birds and bugs along with the rushing water? That wasn’t quiet, that was a whole different cacophony that was going to drive him nuts. Yet, Rude set his backpack down then sat beside it, drawing his legs up.</p>
<p>                It was definitely the most casual either had been in a long time. Rude looked good in black denim jeans with a grey t-shirt which accented his body instead of hiding it. Reno had gone with blue jeans and a white t-shirt with a deep blue jacket tied around his waist. Part of him thought it was a test from Rude to show Reno what his life could look like beyond being a Turk.</p>
<p>                “This is it, huh?” he finally asked, dropping his own backpack. He remained standing, looking at the river for a moment. “Have to say, I don’t get it.”</p>
<p>                Grunting, Rude looked up to Reno. “Sit down and just listen for a while.”</p>
<p>                Oh, he was practically commanding him. Reno did as he was told, sitting close to his lover who didn’t complain about that. He supposed that whatever the Alpha was aiming for didn’t count on proximity. None of this “absence makes the heart grow fonder” bullshit, just “listen to nature” bullshit. He had no idea which one was more bullshit.</p>
<p>                After a moment of silence, Reno let out a noise of irritation. “Mind telling me what the end game is here?”</p>
<p>                Growling softly, Rude looked over to his lover. “It’s like I said. You let your mind and emotions run in several directions at once.” He reached up, tapping the tattoo behind his ear. “Even now, I can still feel that chaos. Chaos is fine when the bond is strong, but it’s impeding synchronization right now.”</p>
<p>                “Wow, so it’s my fault all across the board, huh?” Reno scowled gently, bending a knee and resting an arm on it. “And you think that being out here in all this noise is going to help <em>how</em>, exactly?”</p>
<p>                “You’ve heard of meditation, haven’t you?”</p>
<p>                Making a face, the Omega nodded. “One of the ‘sit still and do nothing while falling asleep’ kind of things.”</p>
<p>                Rude rolled his eyes in exasperation. “All I’m asking is that you try relaxing for once. I know you have a fear of change and I need you to know that’s not what I’m suggesting. Taking a day to yourself can do wonders to centre your mind and body.” He turned oddly gentle eyes to his Omega. “It’s not your fault that you’re chaotic, that’s just who you are. I’d never ask you to change that part of you.”</p>
<p>                Was this why Rude was so calm all the time? He supposed it made sense with the way the Alpha usually battled. Reno had always gone forward like an electric shock, which was probably why Rude had fallen for him in the first place. Almost opposites, now he was being asked, for just one day, to settle down and let the world pass by.</p>
<p>                Letting out a breath through his nose, Reno fell back against the soft, lush grass. He folded his arms behind his head then closed his eyes. Meditation was definitely not a strong point, but he could tell that Rude was content with this much progress.</p>
<p>                “Just lay there and listen. Don’t let your mind wander and distract you. Once you tune out every other distraction, you can focus on what you want to with barely a thought.”</p>
<p>                Reno wisely kept his mouth shut. He could come up with a hundred different quips and snipes, but that was always what he did. Rude had suggested this because he thought maybe it would work. It wouldn’t be entirely fair if he kept ragging on him for it.</p>
<p>                Right, listen.</p>
<p>                All he could hear was one loud group of birds and the running of the river – at first. The more he extended himself, the more he could pick up. Wind blowing through the grass, causing it to rustle gently. The sound of a fish leaping up out of the water. And…</p>
<p>                The slow, even breaths of Rude who was right beside him.</p>
<p>                Despite not truly believing in the method, Reno had to admit there was something peaceful about it. He normally only got to hear that rhythmic breathing when he got up earlier than Rude. That was usually impossible as his lover tended to wake up whenever the sun did.</p>
<p>                He pushed his thoughts away, focusing himself on Rude’s breathing once more. There’d be plenty of time for his rapid-fire thoughts later.</p>
<p>                Right now, he was certain he could feel something more in their bond than he’d had in days. Putting his hand over the mark, the tingle he had grown used to did something he missed. He smiled lightly, knowing that he’d owe Rude a great deal if this became a thing.</p>
<p>                At the moment, he would just lay and enjoy the gentle sting that was definitely the beginning of a healing bond.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And on that note, we conclude this fic. It was a lot of fun to write and it took a turn that I didn't expect. Originally, I had something far more dire planned, but it went in a direction I couldn't exactly reconcile in my head. So, broken bond it was.</p>
<p>This isn't the end of it all. I'm working on something that should tie up the series nicely. There's always Before and During which will be posted to randomly. As my current tie-up fic has been going quite well, all the ideas are warring in my head and vying for attention. Rest assured, I will continue to write as I'm too inspired not to!</p>
<p>To everyone, thank you for reading, commenting, leaving kudos, and all those other good things that fuel a writer's drive. I'm glad I can help anyone in any way I can with whatever I write. You've all been amazing. Please, take care and stay tuned for more in the near future. 💕</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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